LONG PERIOD AVERAGE (LPA)

About:

• Long Period Average (LPA) is the averages of rainfall received over a 50-year period between 1951 and 2001. This average comes to 89 cm of rainfall.
  
  
• This is the average rainfall recorded during the months from June to September, calculated during the 50-year period, and is kept as a benchmark while forecasting the quantitative rainfall for the monsoon season every year. 
  
  

Categories: IMD maintains five rainfall distribution categories on an all-India scale which are –

• Excess: If the rainfall is more than 110 % of this LPA.
  
  
• Above Normal: If the rainfall is between 104 and 110 % of this LPA.
  
  
• Normal: If the rainfall is between 96 and 104 % of this LPA.
  
  
• Below Normal: If the rainfall is between 90 and 96 % of this LPA.
  
  
• Deficient: If the rainfall is less than 90 % of this LPA.