India monsoon stirs amid driest June in over a century
India's southwest monsoon is finally showing signs of life, with rains reaching Mumbai and parts of south Gujarat.
Still, June 2026 is shaping up to be the driest June in over a century: rainfall across the country is way below normal, raising worries about crops and water supplies.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says we've only seen 53.1mm of rain between June 4 and June 22, which is about 54% of the usual amount.
Shortfalls hit farmers, threaten kharif sowing
States like Maharashtra and Gujarat are feeling the pinch, with rainfall shortfalls of over 80%.
Madhya Pradesh isn't far behind at 58%, while Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have also missed out on more than 70% of their expected rain.
Weak monsoon systems left many areas cloud-free during key planting weeks, so farmers are now just hoping for steady showers to kick-start their kharif crops.