The country will receive normal rainfall during the monsoon season this year, said the India Meteorological Department on Thursday.

The rainfall will be 99% of the long period average, the department added. Rainfall between 96% and 104% of the long period average is considered to be in the “normal range”.

The long period average is the average rainfall received by the country during the southwest monsoon from June to September between 1971 and 2020. The average is pegged at 87 cm.

The weather agency said that northern and central India, along the foothills of the Himalayas and some parts of northwest India will witness normal to above normal rainfall.

“Below normal rainfall is likely over many areas of northeast India, some areas of northwest India and southern parts of the south peninsula,” the department said in its latest forecast.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that the country will receive normal or above normal rainfall.

On April 12, private weather forecasting agency Skymet had said that the June-September rain was likely to be normal and 98% of the long-term average.