Bhubaneswar: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted below-normal rainfall for Odisha during the upcoming Monsoon Season 2024, according to an announcement made on Monday.
While the IMD predicts above-normal rainfall for the country as a whole during the South-West Monsoon season, Odisha is anticipated to receive normal or below-normal rainfall in certain regions, as per the long-term forecast.
“The 2024 southwest monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall over the country as a whole is most likely to be above normal (>104% of the Long Period Average (LPA)). Quantitatively, the seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 106% of LPA with a model error of ± 5%,” stated the IMD.
The prevailing moderate El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific region are contributing to this forecast. However, the IMD highlighted that the El Niño condition is expected to weaken further to neutral El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions during the early part of the monsoon season. Additionally, La Niña conditions are projected to develop during the second half of the monsoon season.