Monsoon to end on Sept 30 with above normal rainfall

The Southwest Monsoon will officially end on September 30, with above normal rain for the second year in a row, which bodes well for agricultural output as well as the rural economy, although extreme weather events in hill states and floods in Punjab have wreaked significant human and economic damage.

- Jayashree Nandi

Heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Kolkata on Wednesday.

As on Friday, rainfall is 7% excess across the country with a 28% excess over Northwest India; 12% excess over Central India; 8% excess over South Peninsula and a 19% deficiency over east and Northeast India. The monsoon was above normal last year also with rainfall that was 108% of the long period average (LPA) (the average between 1971 and 2020 which stands at 87cm). In 2023, there was below normal rain at 94% of LPA.

With rain predicted in parts of peninsular India, there could be some changes in these numbers in the three days that remain of the season (June 1-September 30).