Monsoon 2025: A prediction of normal rainfall during the monsoon season, therefore, comes as a huge relief to the nation.
New Delhi:
Monsoon 2025: India is set to receive above-normal cumulative rainfall during this year’s monsoon season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD also confirmed that El Nino conditions are unlikely to develop throughout the entire monsoon season.
“India is likely to see above-normal rainfall in the four-month monsoon season (June to September) with cumulative rainfall estimated at 105 per cent of the long-period average of 87 cm,” India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told a press conference.
El Nino conditions are unlikely this monsoon
Mohapatra further said that El Nino conditions, associated with below-normal monsoon rainfall in the Indian subcontinent, are unlikely to develop this time.
Parts of the country are already battling extreme heat and a significantly high number of heat wave days are expected in the April to June period. This could strain power grids and result in water shortages.
Monsoon is crucial for India’s agriculture sector
The monsoon plays a vital role in India’s economy, particularly in the agriculture sector, which sustains around 42.3 per cent of the population and contributes 18.2 per cent to the country’s GDP.
About 52 per cent of the net cultivated area depends on monsoon rains, making it the backbone of crop production. In addition to agriculture, the monsoon is essential for refilling reservoirs that supply drinking water and support power generation across the country.
The forecast of normal rainfall this monsoon is a major relief for the country.
However, normal cumulative rainfall does not guarantee uniform temporal and spatial distribution of rain across the country, with climate change further increasing the variability of the rain-bearing system.
Climate scientists say the number of rainy days is declining while heavy rain events (more rain over a short period) are increasing, leading to frequent droughts and floods.
