New Delhi: The south-west monsoon, which accounted for the country`s 98 per cent rainfall between June and August, is expected to continue the momentum this month as it enters its last phase.
Rainfall for the country during September is likely to be "normal" at 96 per cent, the Indian Meteorological Department says in its long range forecast.
Attributing the normal rainfall to the absence of El Nino phenomenon, the met department said the actual rainfall received between June and August has been good for the country as a whole especially in central India where the rainfall has been 128 per cent of the long period average.
"The good precipitation is due to absence of El Nino," chief forecaster for the monsoon D S Pai said.
According to the department, "Rainfall over the country as a whole for September is likely to be 96 per cent of the long period average."
Rainfall received across the country was 98 per cent between June and August 31, it said.
The met department had issued operational long range forecasts for the southwest monsoon season (June to September) rainfall on April 26 and June 14.
Monsoon is crucial for the kharif crops such as rice, soyabean, cotton and maize as almost 60 per cent of the farm land in the country is rainfed.
DG of IMD LS Rathore had earlier said that El Nino, an ocean current which influences the monsoon pattern in India, is also neutral and "not going to have any adverse affect on the monsoon circulation".
In a statement yesterday, the Met Department said while the actual rainfall received across the country between June and August has been 110 per cent, central India had 128 per cent rainfall and North West India 121 per cent rainfall.
North East, which usually receives heavy rainfall, however, recorded 72 per cent rainfall during this period, the Met Department said.
PTI
