Surplus rainfall likely in India

New Delhi: Most parts of India, except some areas in the northwest, are likely to receive above-normal rainfall during the post-monsoon season of October to December, the IMD said on Tuesday.

The four-month southwest monsoon season ended on Tuesday with the country recording eight per cent above normal rainfall. At an online press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said most regions are expected to get above-normal rainfall in the October-December period, while parts of northwest India may see normal to below-normal showers.

He said rainfall in October is expected to be 15 per cent higher than normal, following the abundant rains during June-September. "Maximum temperatures are expected to remain below normal in October in the northern plains, central and peninsular India.

They will be above normal in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat," Mohapatra said. India received 937.2 mm of rain against the normal of 868.6 mm this monsoon season, a surplus of 8 per cent.

East and northeast India recorded 1,089.9 mm rainfall, 20 per cent below the normal of 1,367.3 mm. Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya saw deficient rainfall in three of the four monsoon months.