Maha to Receive Above-Normal Rainfall

Following significant rainfall activity over the past two to three days, maximum temperatures in city have dropped sharply

- Gayatri Vajpeyee

PUNE: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a subdivision-wise monsoon forecast indicating that all four meteorological subdivisions in Maharashtra—Konkan & Goa, Central Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha—are likely to receive above-normal rainfall during the June to September monsoon season.

The updated long-range forecast (LRF) for the southwest monsoon was released by IMD from New Delhi on Tuesday, when M Ravichandran, secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of meteorology, IMD; and RK Jenamani, head of the national weather forecasting centre, were present. This forecast builds on the initial seasonal outlook issued on April 15 and is based on a newly developed multi-model ensemble (MME) forecasting system.

According to IMD, rainfall is expected to be above normal over Central India, which includes Maharashtra, as well as over South Peninsular India. The monsoon core zone (MCZ), which covers most of the country's rain-fed agricultural region, is also likely to experience above-normal rainfall.