IMD predicts ‘above normal’ monsoon

India is likely to receive more rainfall than usual this monsoon season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.
Updating its forecast, IMD said the country will get 106% of the long-period average (LPA) rainfall during the June to September season. This is a small increase from its earlier estimate of 105%, but still falls under the “above normal” category. The LPA of the season rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1971-2020 is 87 cm.
The IMD also shared details of how rain will be spread across regions. Central and peninsular India are expected to receive above normal rainfall, while northwest India is likely to get normal rainfall.
In contrast, Northeast India may experience below-normal rainfall, falling under 94% of the LPA. “During June to September 2025, normal to above normal rainfall is very likely over most parts of the country except some areas of Northwest and East India and many areas of Northeast India where below normal rainfall is very likely,” IMD said.
Furthermore, the department also predicted above normal rainfall for the monsoon core zone, regions where agriculture heavily depends on seasonal rains. This is seen as a good sign for overall farming activities.
Officials said the forecast brings a positive outlook for crop sowing and rural livelihoods. The monsoon delivers nearly 70% of India’s annual rainfall and is crucial for the country’s agriculture, which still relies largely on rain-fed farming.
The IMD also brought some respite from the heat, predicting below-normal heatwave days during June.
“Typically, heatwaves last two to three days during this month. But with the expected above-normal rainfall, such events will be fewer and mostly confined to northwest India,” IMD said.