Northeast monsoon to be normal: IMD

PUNE: The northeast monsoon, which follows the southwest monsoon and begins in October, is most likely to be normal this year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, quoting its long-range forecast.

"Operational forecast for the 2016 northeast monsoon season (October-December) rainfall over south peninsula (Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala and south interior Karnataka) is most likely to be normal (90% -100% of LPA),” the IMD said in a statement. “The LPA (long period average) of the northeast monsoon season rainfall over the south peninsula for the base period 1951-2000 is 332.1mm."

The monsoon mission coupled model forecast suggests the current weak La Nina conditions over the equatorial east Pacific turn to cool neutral ENSO conditions during the northeast monsoon season, it said.

Similarly, the model also suggests the current weak negative IOD conditions are likely to continue during the northeast monsoon season.

"The 2016 northeast monsoon season rainfall over Tamil Nadu is most likely to be normal (90%- 100% of LPA). The LPA of the northeast monsoon season rainfall over Tamil Nadu for the base period 1951-2000 is 438.2mm," the statement said.

Normal northeast monsoon will help the rabi crops and crops grown in the south peninsula like paddy and sugarcane.