How accurate is rainfall prediction

On Monday the private weather forecaster Skymet predicted “below normal” monsoon rainfall this year by citing the threat of El Nino. the private forecaster further added that in the upcoming month of June – September India may get only 94% of the rainfall that India usually gets in these months. 

Contradictory to this IMD on Monday said that monsoon is likely to be Normal and there is a 67% probability for “normal to above normal” rainfall during June – September.  M Ravichandran, secretary of, ministry of earth sciences, while releasing IMD’s monsoon forecast said- “The forecast based on dynamical and statistical models suggests that quantitatively, the seasonal monsoon rainfall is likely to be 96% of the LPA with a model error of ± 5%.”

Mohapatra without taking the name of any said – “Please believe in the IMD whose forecast is reasonable, but has also accountability.” In India, agriculture is rain dependent, which employs the biggest workforce, 40% of food output and 52% of cropping. The wrong prediction will impact the GDP of the country and economic well-being.