India records driest monsoon in over ten years with 13 percent deficit

India recorded its driest monsoon in over a decade as the seasonal rainfall ended 13 percent lower than normal when the four-month season concluded on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department stated that the country received 759.4 millimeters of rainfall, which is 87 percent of the long period average of 868.6 millimeters calculated over the fifty-year period between 1971 and 2020.

Causes And Monthly Breakdown

This shortage was driven by a strong El Nino warming the equatorial Pacific Ocean surface waters, which suppresses rainfall over India and prompted early warnings from the weather department in April. Three months saw large shortfalls, led by June with a deficit of more than 35 percent, alongside August and September recording drops of 16.3 percent and 7.6 percent respectively, while July was the only month to receive normal rainfall.

Context

El Nino events are part of a large-scale ocean and atmosphere cycle that significantly influences global weather and climate patterns from year to year. When surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean warm up abnormally, it typically disrupts normal wind and moisture flows toward the Indian subcontinent. Understanding these seasonal shifts helps farmers and planners prepare for water management challenges during dry years.