Southwest monsoon to be normal this year says IMD forecasts

New Delhi: Southwest monsoon will be normal this year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday in its forecast for the four-month rainfall season in the country.

In an online briefing, IMD Director General M Mohapatra said the Long Period Average (LPA) of monsoon will be 100 per cent which falls in the "normal" category.

"Monsoon will be normal this year," he said.

M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the IMD has revised the onset and withdrawal dates of the monsoon from this year.

However, the normal onset date over Kerala, which is June 1, will remain the same.