📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / European Space Agency
Weather
India's Monsoon 15% Below Normal, Driest in 17 Years, El Niño Impact
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 22 Sep 2026, 01:16 PM
👁 14
India's monsoon rainfall fell 15% below the average, marking the driest season in 17 years due to El Niño, potentially reducing Kharif crop output.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that monsoon rainfall across the country was 15% below the long‑term average, the lowest in 17 years. This drop is attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, which has been dampening the South Asian monsoon.
The deficit was most pronounced in the western and central states, where rainfall totals were 20–25% below normal. Even the traditionally wet regions of the northeast saw a noticeable decline, raising concerns among farmers and agricultural planners.
Experts warn that the reduced precipitation could curtail the Kharif crop cycle, potentially leading to lower yields of staples such as rice, wheat and pulses. The government has urged farmers to adopt water‑saving practices and to seek support from the crop insurance scheme.
The IMD has issued a revised monsoon forecast, predicting a gradual recovery in the later season but cautioning that the overall rainfall may still fall short of the 1950–2000 average. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as the planting season approaches.
The deficit was most pronounced in the western and central states, where rainfall totals were 20–25% below normal. Even the traditionally wet regions of the northeast saw a noticeable decline, raising concerns among farmers and agricultural planners.
Experts warn that the reduced precipitation could curtail the Kharif crop cycle, potentially leading to lower yields of staples such as rice, wheat and pulses. The government has urged farmers to adopt water‑saving practices and to seek support from the crop insurance scheme.
The IMD has issued a revised monsoon forecast, predicting a gradual recovery in the later season but cautioning that the overall rainfall may still fall short of the 1950–2000 average. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as the planting season approaches.