IMD Predicts Above-Normal Monsoon for India, 106% Rainfall Expected

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts an above-normal monsoon for India, with cumulative rainfall expected to reach 106 percent of the long-period average of 87 cm. La Nina conditions, associated with good Monsoon in India, likely to set in by August-September.

According to the IMD chief, data from 1951 to 2023 shows India experienced above-normal monsoon rainfall on 9 occasions when La Nina followed El Nino event.

India likely to see above-normal monsoon, with cumulative rainfall estimated at 106 percent of long-period average of 87 cm: IMD

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 15, 2024

With expectations running high, the IMD is poised to unveil its much-anticipated long-range forecast for the forthcoming Monsoon season. Expert opinions suggest a potentially early onset, fueled by the concurrent activation of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and La Nina conditions. This convergence sets the stage for a robust Monsoon, raising hopes for significant rainfall across diverse regions of the country.

#WATCH | Delhi: M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences says, "...La Nina conditions, associated with good Monsoon in India, will develop between August-September." pic.twitter.com/ZxEOickQSM

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2024

The convergence of La Nina, a recurring weather phenomenon marked by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean, and the IOD, an oscillation of sea-surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean, represents a distinctive meteorological event.