Rainfall likely to be normal in July, says IMD

In a relief for farmers, the weather office on Friday forecast normal monsoon rainfall in the range of 94% to 106% of long period average (LPA) in the country as a whole in July, which may cover the deficit in June.

This is expected to accelerate the sowing of kharif crops such as paddy, maize and pulses.

While monsoon covered most parts of the country rapidly in the last week of June arriving early in several northern states, several areas in the core agricultural zone received scanty rainfall, delaying sowing of kharif crops and increasing fear of productivity loss.


The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its forecast for July said most areas in central India, adjoining south peninsula, eastern India, and some parts of Northeast and Northwest India will receive normal rainfall during the month.

Some areas such as eastern Uttar Pradesh, some parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are likely to get below-normal rainfall, it said.

Till June 29, 14 states including Maharashtra, Telangana, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Odisha had deficient rainfall.

The deficit in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Kerala is expected to be covered in July. Other states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh may still get below normal rainfall, the weather office said.

There is also a high probability for the development of El Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions over the Indian Ocean during July to September 2023, IMD said.