IMD to issue Long Range Forecast for south-west monsoon season rainfall today

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New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will issue the first stage Long Range Forecast (LRF) for south-west Monsoon season (June-September) rainfall on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences is set to release the forecast through online video conferencing and live streaming from the national capital as part of social distancing measures put in place in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary will brief the press through online video conferencing and live streaming from the national capital.

The LRF is the operational monsoon season forecast issued by the weather department from June to September for the entire country. 

This forecast, however, does not include regional level rainfall or specify quantum rainfall for the forecast period.

Each year, the MeT department issues LRF in two stages. The first stage forecast is issued in the month of April and the second one is issued in June.

These forecasts are issued using Statistical Ensemble Forecasting System (SEFS) and dynamical coupled Ocean-Atmospheric models.