- India's August monsoon rainfall was 16.3% below normal, the lowest in three years
- Seasonal monsoon deficit rose to around 14% from 13% at July's end, IMD data shows
- September rainfall forecast is below 91% of the long-period average, per IMD officials
India's monsoon rainfall deficit widened in August as the country recorded 16.3% below-normal rainfall, its lowest August rainfall in three years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The shortfall has pushed the seasonal monsoon rainfall deficit to around 14%, from 13% at the end of July, IMD data showed.
The weather office has also forecast below-normal rainfall for September, with rainfall expected to remain below 91% of the long-period average, according to IMD officials.
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IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said moderate El Niño conditions are prevailing and are expected to strengthen gradually, potentially becoming strong by September. El Niño is associated with unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific and can disrupt weather patterns globally.
India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September, is crucial for the economy as it provides about 70% of the country's annual rainfall. Nearly half of India's farmland remains dependent on rainfall, making monsoon performance critical for crop output and rural incomes.
Reuters reported that rainfall had improved in July, when India received around 1% more rain than the long-period average. This helped reduce the cumulative monsoon deficit since June 1 to 12.6% from 35.4% at the end of June.
The improvement also helped farmers catch up with sowing after a delayed start. Summer crop sowing, which was nearly 25% lower than a year earlier at the end of June, has since narrowed to a deficit of less than 5%, according to Agriculture Ministry data.
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However, the expected weakness in August and September rainfall could put pressure on crops planted during the season.
Historically, India has recorded below-average rainfall in most El Nino years, with some episodes resulting in severe droughts, crop losses and restrictions on grain exports
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