Below normal monsoon expected in major parts of India

New Delhi: Unlike 2016, many regions of the country would receive below normal rainfall this monsoon season, says a weather analyst.

According to private weather forecaster Skymet, the north-west, west, southern peninsula and southern regions of the country would experience deficient rainfall.

The regions of Punjab, western Madhya Pradesh, central Maharashtra and Goa would receive below normal rainfall.

The weather patterns analysed by Skymet, however, predict good rainfall for eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.

"These patterns may see some slight changes in future however overall monsoon in many parts of the country would remain below normal," Skymet director Mahesh Palawat told IANS, adding that overall monsoon in the country would be around 95 per cent.

According to the standards, between 96 to 104 per cent rainfall is considered a normal monsoon while between 90 to 95 per cent is considered below normal.

The monsoon generally reaches mainland India in first week of June.