The India Meteorological Department said on Thursday that the country received "normal" rainfall during the four-month rainfall season from June to September this year.

"Quantitatively, the 2021 all India monsoon seasonal rainfall during June 1 to September 30 has been 87 cm against the Long Period Average of 88 cm of 1961-2010 (99 per cent of its LPA)," IMD Director General M Mohapatra said.

"Southwest Monsoon seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole during June-September has been normal (96-106 per cent of the LPA)," he added.

This is for the third consecutive year that the country has recorded rainfall in the normal and above category. It was above normal in 2019 and 2020.

He added that conditions are very likely to be favourable for the commencement of withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon from some parts of northwest India from around October 6. Southwest Monsoon withdrawal from northwest India normally begins from September 17.