SRINAGAR: India is likely to receive below-normal rainfall in September, while average maximum temperatures across the country are expected to remain above normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
In its monthly forecast, the IMD said rainfall across the country during September is most likely to remain below 91 per cent of the long-period average (LPA). The LPA for September is approximately 167.9 mm, based on rainfall data from 1971 to 2020.
The weather department also reported that August 2026 was the hottest August recorded in India since 1901, with the mean temperature reaching 28.01 degrees Celsius, compared with the normal of 27.34 degrees Celsius.
The average minimum temperature during the month was also the highest for August since 1901, at 24.36 degrees Celsius against a normal of 23.68 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD.
August recorded 213.3 mm of rainfall across India, making it the seventh driest August since 2001, the department said.
IMD Director General of Meteorology Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said moderate to strong El Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean were a major factor behind the deficient rainfall.
He said sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific remained above normal, with strong El Nino conditions currently prevailing and expected to intensify further in the coming months.
The IMD said four low-pressure systems developed during August and collectively persisted for 26 days. However, much of their rainfall activity remained concentrated over the Indo-Gangetic plains, leaving several other parts of the country facing rainfall deficits.
The department said monthly average maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal over much of India during September, alongside the forecast of below-normal rainfall.
