Meteorological department predicts near normal South West monsoon this year

Monsoon is likely to be "near normal" this year, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. Monsoon is likely to be 96 per cent of the long period average (LPA), a senior official of the IMD said. LPA is the average of rainfall between 1951 and 2000, which is 89 cm. Anything between 90-95 per cent of LPA falls under the "below normal" category. 

Recently, Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, had predicted that monsoon rains may be "below normal" this year. The monsoon is likely to be 93 per cent of the long period average (LPA), it said.

Anything between 90-95 per cent of LPA falls under the "below normal" category. Skymet CEO Jatin Singh attributed the El Nino phenomenon as the reason behind a possible below normal rainfall.

According to Skymet forecast, there is a 55 per cent chance of a "below normal" rainfall.