<div>India is likely to witness below-average rainfall in 2014, the government's weather office said on Thursday (24 April), if El Nino hits the four-month-long rain season.</div><div> </div><div>Rainfall is expected to be 95 per cent of the long-term average, with a margin for error of plus or minus 5 per cent, during the June-to-September season, it said in a statement.</div><div> </div><div>The Meteorological Department defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire season. </div><div> </div><div>The first official monsoon forecast is in line with the latest outlook of the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) forum that predicted mostly below-average rains in much of South Asia including India.</div><div> </div><div>(Reuters)</div>
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