New Delhi: Since the start of the monsoon season on June 1, India has received 20 per cent less rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weather department stated that current conditions support the monsoon’s advancement into parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, northwest Bay of Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand in the next three to four days.
Rainfall below long-period average
The IMD further stated that India received 64.5 mm of rainfall from June 1 to 18, which is 20 per cent below the long-period average (LPA) of 80.6 mm. During this period, northwest India received 10.2 mm of rainfall (70 per cent below normal), central India received 50.5 mm (31 per cent below normal), the south peninsula received 106.6 mm (16 per cent above normal), and east and northeast India received 146.7 mm (15 per cent below normal).
The IMD reported that from June 1 to 18, as many as 11 meteorological subdivisions across the country received normal to significantly above-average rainfall, whereas 25 sub-divisions experienced deficient to significantly deficient rainfall.
Rainfall: Below-normal in June
The forecast indicates that overall rainfall across the country in June is likely to be below normal, expected to be less than 92 per cent of the long-period average (LPA).
Above-normal rainfall is predicted for most areas of the southern peninsula and some parts of northeast India, while below-normal rainfall is expected in many areas of northwest and adjoining central India, as well as some parts of northeast India, the IMD said.
In May, the IMD said the country could experience above-normal rainfall during the four-month monsoon season (June to September), with cumulative rainfall estimated to reach 106 per cent of the LPA of 87 cm.