India is likely to receive above-average monsoon rains in 2024, the Indian Meteorological Department said on Monday. The IMD forecasts indicate monsoon rains at 106 per cent of the long-term average for the year.
During the press conference, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the historical data from 1951 to 2023 shows that India experienced above-normal monsoon rainfall on nine occasions following La Nina events that followed El Nino patterns.
"India is likely to see above-normal rainfall in the four-month monsoon season (June to September) with cumulative rainfall estimated at 106 per cent of the long-period average (87 cm)," he said.
In 2023, India received "below-average" cumulative rainfall of 820 mm compared to the long-period average of 868.6 mm, which was attributed to it being an El Nino year. Prior to 2023, India had recorded "normal" and "above-normal" rainfall in the monsoon season for four consecutive years.
About El Niño And La Niña Weather Patterns
El Niño and La Niña are major weather patterns affecting global climate. El Niño refers to the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, while La Niña describes cooler-than-average sea temperatures. Both phenomena have substantial impacts on Earth's weather patterns.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Niño events occur more frequently than La Niña.
On average, El Niño and La Niña events occur every two to seven years and typically last between nine to 12 months, although some instances can persist for years.
