Tue Apr 15 11:12:42 UTC 2025: ## India Predicts Above-Normal Monsoon Rainfall, Reassuring Nation
**New Delhi, April 15, 2025** – The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced today that India is expected to experience above-normal rainfall during the upcoming monsoon season (June to September). The IMD predicts cumulative rainfall at 105% of the long-period average of 87 cm, effectively ruling out the possibility of El Niño conditions impacting the season.
IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra delivered the positive prediction at a press conference in New Delhi. This news offers significant relief to the nation, as the monsoon is critical to India’s agriculture, which employs 42.3% of the population and contributes 18.2% to the GDP. A substantial 52% of the net cultivated area relies on the monsoon for irrigation, and the rains are crucial for replenishing reservoirs used for drinking water and power generation.
While the prediction is welcome, the IMD cautioned that above-normal rainfall doesn’t guarantee even distribution. Climate change is increasing rainfall variability, leading to more frequent droughts and floods. Scientists note a decline in the number of rainy days, offset by an increase in heavy rainfall events. The country is already experiencing extreme heat, and a high number of heatwave days are anticipated from April to June, potentially straining power grids and water resources.
The prediction contrasts somewhat with Skymet’s earlier forecast of a “normal” monsoon for 2025. Regardless of the exact percentage, the anticipated above-average rainfall will likely be a significant boost to India’s economy and agriculture sector.
First Piper 