August hottest since 1901, September rainfall likely below normal: IMD

Last month was the hottest August since 1901, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. It also forecast that the rainfall in September will be below normal.

The average temperature across the country was 28.01 degrees Celsius, warmer than the normal of 27.34 degrees Celsius during the month.

The average maximum temperature during the month was 31.66 degrees Celsius instead of the normal of 31.01 degrees Celsius, the weather department said. The average minimum temperature was 24.36 degrees Celsius, higher than the normal of 23.6 degrees Celsius.

In eastern, northeastern and southern India, the average maximum temperature was more than 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than the normal.

September forecast

The weather department also said that the southwest monsoon rainfall in most part of the country will be below normal and less than 91% of the long period average.

The long period average is the measure of the mean rainfall during the four-month monsoon season over the last 50 years.

However, some areas in the northwest, northeast, east, east-central and southeast peninsular India, are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall, it said.

The average maximum temperatures are likely to be above-normal in most parts of the country, the India Meteorological Department said.

Monthly average minimum temperatures are also expected to be above-normal in most parts of the country except some parts of...

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