NEW DELHI: With nine states facing drought like situation in the country, the India Meteorology Department (IMD) has decided to advance forecast for the 2016 Southwest Monsoon nearly by two weeks seemingly to build a positive atmosphere as there is a likelihood of country receiving good rainfall this year.
The IMD for past few years has been releasing forecast in the fourth week of April and the second one in June. But this time it has been decided to advance it as many parts in the country Bundelkhand and Marathwada reeling under acute shortage of water. Last year, the forecast was released on April 22 and in 2014 it was on April 24 and April 26 in 2013.
IMD officials, however, denied advancement of monsoon due to prevailing drought condition in the country.
“IMD has come out with monsoon forecast in mid-April earlier also and there is no specific reason. We are ready with the forecast so we are releasing it,” said a senior IMD official.
Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, also released its forecast today predicted an above normal Southwest monsoon this year. The forecast of above normal monsoon would augur well for the agriculture sector which is under stress due to two consecutive years of poor seasonal rainfall.
"There is 35 percent chance of above normal seasonal rainfall that is between 105 to 110 percent of Long Period Average (LPA), while there are 30 percent chances of normal (between 96 to 104 per cent of LPA)," the Skymet said in its forecast for this year.
Central India and West Coast are expected to receive a good amount of rainfall while Tamil Nadu, Northeast India and South Interior Karnataka may witness less rainfall, it said.