IMD warns July 2026 likely drier across most of India
Heads up: July 2026 is set to be drier than usual across most of India, according to the IMD.
The culprit? A strengthening El Nino over the Pacific, which means rainfall could drop below 94% of the typical July average.
This comes right after one of the driest Junes in a century, with a 39% shortfall.
Kharif sowing down nearly 23%
El Nino messes with monsoon patterns by shrinking the temperature gap between land and sea, so less rain reaches India.
Central, western, and northern areas are likely to get hit hardest by low rainfall. Kharif crop sowing has already dropped nearly 23% compared to last year.
There's a bit of hope though: new low-pressure systems forming over the Bay of Bengal might bring some relief where it's needed most.
Meanwhile, northeast India should stay relatively wetter despite all this disruption.