El Nino may be 'neutral', raises hopes of normal rains this year

Amid the gloom, there is some good news on the weather front. The latest forecasts show that the dreaded El Niño weather phenomenon, known to disrupt the flow of the southwest monsoon, is expected to remain ‘neutral’ in May, June and July.

The latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts show that sea surface temperatures might further cool, enhancing the probability of La Niña after July. These weather phenomena indicate that the monsoon may be normal in India this year. 

The southwest monsoon enters India in June and starts withdrawing in September. July is the critical month as the quantum of rains is