Monsoon in state likely to be normal this year: IMD

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to experience a normal monsoon this year, according to the IMD’s all-India long-range forecast released on Tuesday, said IMD regional head H R Biswas.
Biswas said a clearer picture on possible monsoon rain forecast this year would emerge in their next all-India long-range forecast to be released in May.
According to the IMD scientist, their available statistical data from 1901 to 2020 said the state received normal monsoon rain, with an error margin of 19% for most of the years. He said only in 2000 did the state record a major monsoon rain deficit of 25%.
On the IMD’s long-range forecast, former director of regional IMD centre, Sarat Chandra Sahu, said monsoon will be normal this year due to positive Indian Ocean Dipole during monsoon season. He said it may favour formation of low pressures and depressions bringing chances of more rain.
On Monday, private weather forecasting agency Skymet said that it expects the upcoming monsoon to be “below normal” to the tune of 94%, with an error margin of 5%, of the long period average of 868.6 mm for June to September this year.