Below normal monsoon likely this year (Lead)

June 21st, 2011 - 8:38 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) Rainfall in the country during the current monsoon season is expected to be below normal, the meteorological department’s second monsoon forecast said Tuesday, in a turnaround from its prediction of normal rains.

“Rainfall all over the country as a whole from June to September is most likely to be below normal, between 90-96 percent,” Ajit Tyagi, director general of India Meteorological Department (IMD), told reporters here.

According to IMD, in the month of July rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 93 percent while in August it is likely to be 94 percent.

“Over the four broad geographical regions of the country, rainfall over northwest India is likely to be 97 percent, over north-east and central it shall be 95 percent and 94 percent over the south peninsula,” Tyagi added.

The IMD had, in April, forecast a normal monsoon of 98 percent, with a plus-minus factor of five percent.

Meanwhile, the monsoon is expected to hit Delhi in a week’s time, around June 27-29, said Tyagi.

“However, after getting week in the first week of July, it is expected to revive,” he added.

In the rest of north India, it is expected to arrive by the first week of July, he added.

The southwest monsoon set in over Kerala May 29, three days before the normal date of June 1.

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