India to experience above-normal rainfall this monsoon, says IMD

NEW DELHI: India Meteorological Department on Tuesday predicted that India will be experiencing above-normal rainfall this monsoon season.
During a press conference, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra also ruled out the possibility of El Nino conditions during the entire season and said, "India is likely to see above-normal rainfall in the four-month monsoon season (June to September) with cumulative rainfall estimated at 105 per cent of the long-period average of 87 cm."
"El Nino conditions, associated with below-normal monsoon rainfall in the Indian subcontinent, are unlikely to develop this time," he added.
The prediction comes as several parts of the country is battling with extreme heat.
The monsoon is crucial for India's agriculture sector, which supports the livelihood of about 42.3 per cent of the population and contributes 18.2 per cent to the country's GDP.
Fifty-two per cent of the net cultivated area relies on the primary rain-bearing system. It is also crucial for the replenishing of reservoirs critical for drinking water, apart from power generation across the country.
However, normal cumulative rainfall does not guarantee uniform temporal and spatial distribution of rain across the country, with climate change further increasing the variability of the rain-bearing system.
Climate scientists say the number of rainy days is declining while heavy rain events (more rain over a short period) are increasing, leading to frequent droughts and floods.
Monsoon in India usually arrives over the southern tip of Kerala around June 1 and retreats in mid-September.
The India Meteorological Department defines average or normal rainfall as ranging between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) for the four-month season.