India's weather department forecasts lower September rainfall amid El Nino
India
India's weather department says September will bring less rain than usual, wrapping up a pretty dry monsoon season.
Since June, the country has already seen a 14% drop in rainfall, while strong El Nino conditions prevail over the Pacific.
India records warmest August, monsoon shortfall
August 2026 was the warmest August since records began, hitting an average of 28.010 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall was uneven: some places got heavy showers, but overall there was more than 16% below normal nationally.
With about 42% of India's districts reporting less rain and key farming areas still struggling, crop sowing is down and farmers may face higher irrigation costs.
The IMD expects total monsoon rainfall this year to be about 90% of normal.