India's monsoon erratic with June drought and July downpours
Monsoon season in India is all over the place this year, mostly dry in June (the fifth-driest ever), then sudden heavy rains in July, like Mumbai getting a month's worth of rain in just one week.
Even with these bursts, rainfall across the country is still way below average, leaving both farmers and city folks scrambling.
Planting uncertain, cities face higher demand
Farmers are struggling to figure out when to plant crops since rain is so unpredictable, putting their incomes at risk.
Meanwhile, cities are dealing with hotter days and more humidity during dry spells, which means everyone's cranking up the air conditioning, and that's pushing electricity demand higher than usual.
Official forecast below average, experts warn
Experts say climate change and El Nino are messing with monsoon patterns by blocking rain clouds even when there's moisture around.
Bengaluru just had its hottest July day in 112 years, while other places are seeing temperatures several degrees above normal.
The official forecast expects rainfall to be a bit below average for the season, but some warn things could get worse later on, so both farmers and urban planners have reason to worry.