India's southwest monsoon 46% below normal, central India hardest hit
India's southwest monsoon is off to a slow start this year; rainfall is down 46% compared with normal as of June 20, according to the IMD.
Central India is feeling it the most.
The main culprits? Climate patterns like El Nino and weaker winds that usually help bring in the rains.
IMD expects late June monsoon improvement
El Nino (that warming in the Pacific you might've heard about) is messing with global wind patterns and making India's monsoon weaker.
The Indian Ocean Dipole isn't helping much either, and another climate factor called Madden-Julian Oscillation isn't stepping in to save the day.
The good news: the IMD expects things to pick up by late June as stronger winds over the Arabian Sea could finally push rain into states like Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
Until then, heat waves are sticking around, especially in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, as everyone waits for some real relief.