Early signs hint at favourable monsoon this year: IMD chief
India Meteorological Department Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said large-scale climatic phenomena were conducive for the southwest mon- soon, which is crucial for the largely rain fed Indian economy.
Representative image
NEW DELHI: As summer scorches large parts of the country, weather scientists have picked up early signs of a favourable monsoon season this year in fading El Nino conditions and lesser snow cover over Eurasia.
India Meteorological Department Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said large-scale climatic phenomena were conducive for the southwest mon- soon, which is crucial for the largely rain fed Indian economy.
“This year El Nino is fading. By the beginning of June, it may become a neutral condition,” Mohapatra said, referring to the warming of the central Pacific Ocean which is considered one of the factors to impact the southwest monsoon.
southwest monsoon. He said the second half of the July-September monsoon sea- son may witness La Nina condi- tions, which refer to the cooling of the central Pacific Ocean.
“La Nina is good for the Indi- an monsoon. And neutral condi- tions are good. However, El Nino is not good. In 60 per cent of years, El Nino has harmed the Indian monsoon, but last year, it did not have a negative impact,” Mohapatra said. er is less. That is another posi- tive factor. So large-scale pro- cesses are conducive for mon- soon,” he said.
This year also the snow cover is less. That is another posi- tive factor. So large-scale pro- cesses are conducive for mon- soon,” he said.
The southwest monsoon de- livers about 70 per cent of In- dia’s annual rainfall, critical for the agriculture sector that ac- counts for about 14 per cent of the GDP and employs more than half of its 1.4 billion population.
India received “below-aver- age” cumulative rainfall of 820mm compared to the long-peri- od average of 868.6 mm in the 2023 monsoon season, which was attributed to a strengthen- ing El Nino.
