Monsoon season ends with ‘near normal’ rainfall, says IMD

New Delhi, Agencies: The four-month monsoon season has ended with India receiving “near normal” cumulative rainfall — 820 mm against a long-period average of 868.6 mm — amid positive factors countering the effect of El Nino conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.

Rainfall between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of the long-period average (LPA) is considered normal. However, normal cumulative rainfall over the country during the monsoon season doesn’t mean even spatial and temporal spread of precipitation.

The Indian monsoon refers to inherent fluctuations and changes that occur over time due to various natural factors.

This is called natural variability. Research, however, shows climate change is making the monsoon more variable. Increased variability means more extreme weather and dry spells.