India could experience above-normal rainfall in July: IMD

New Delhi: India could experience above-normal rainfall in July, except for parts of the northeastern region, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

Addressing a virtual press conference, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said July rainfall averaged over the country as a whole is most likely to be above normal -- more than 106 per cent of the long-period average of 28.04 cm.

"Normal to above-normal rainfall is most likely over most parts of the country except many parts of northeast India and some parts of northwest, east, and southeast peninsular India," he said.

The Met office said maximum temperatures are likely to be normal to below normal over many parts of northwest India and south peninsular India, except the west coast.

"Above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over many parts of central India, east and northeast India, and along the west coast," it said.

The minimum temperatures are most likely to be above normal over many parts of the country except some parts of northwest and the adjoining areas of central India, and some pockets of southeastern peninsular India, he said.

We are expecting good monsoon rains in July. Cloudy conditions generally result in higher minimum temperatures, Mohapatra said.

Northwest India recorded its warmest June last month since 1901, with a mean temperature of 31.73 degrees Celsius, the IMD said on Monday.

The monthly average maximum temperature in the region settled at 38.02 degrees Celsius, 1.96 degrees Celsius above normal. The average minimum temperature stood at 25.44 degrees Celsius, 1.35 degrees Celsius above normal, according to IMD data.

Northwest India recorded a mean temperature of 31.73 degrees Celsius in June, 1.65 degrees Celsius above normal and the highest since 1901, the IMD chief said.