Monsoon rains in India seen at 100% of long term average: Skymet forecast

Monsoon rains in India are expected to be average in 2018, the country`s only private weather forecasting agency said on Wednesday, raising prospects of higher farm and economic growth in the $2 trillion economy, Asia`s third-biggest. Monsoon rains are expected to be 100 percent of the long-term average, Skymet said in a Tweet.

India defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96 percent and 104 percent of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire four-month season beginning June.

The state-run India Meteorological Department will come out with its monsoon forecast in mid-April.