No surprises if southwest monsoon is normal this year: IMD DG K J Ramesh

Ramesh said the Met wasn't being conservative but it has kept the door open for further revisions

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its first forecast, has said that monsoon would be normal this year at 96 per cent of the long-period average (LPA). But it has kept the door open for further revisions by stating that chances of the rains being near normal are 38 per cent. In an interview with Business Standard, IMD Director General K J Ramesh said the Met wasn’t being conservative and weather patterns indicated that there was a possibility of rainfall being very near to the 50-year LPA of 89 cm. Edited excerpts:

In its first forecast, the IMD said that El