New Delhi, May 29 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued its second-stage long-range forecast for the southwest monsoon season, projecting below-normal rainfall across several key regions of the country while warning of heatwave conditions in multiple states starting in June.

Addressing a press conference, Director General of Meteorology Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the country is expected to receive 90 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall during the June-September monsoon season, with a model error margin of four per cent.

"We are providing the second-stage update for the June-September monsoon. Quantitatively, we expect 90 per cent of the LPA, with a 4 per cent model error," Mohapatra said.

Accord...