Southwest monsoon ends with 12% deficit

Bhopal, Sep 11 (ANI): Commuters make their way through heavy rainfall, in Bhopal on Friday. (ANI Photo) | Photo Credit: ANI

India’s 2026 southwest monsoon ended with 759.4 mm of rain, 12.6% below the 868.6 mm normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday. At 87% of the Long Period Average (LPA), this is the lowest rainfall recorded during the monsoon season since 2015, which was a tad drier at 758.2 mm.

The east and northeast region, which recorded 1,017.1 mm of rainfall, had its driest monsoon since 1901, or since the IMD started to keep systematic records.

The subdued rainfall was in line with forecasts by global weather agencies, including the IMD, which anticipated one of the strongest El Ninos in recent history. The IMD had, since April, predicted a subdued monsoon rainfall and overall, reality corresponded to what was forecast. On April 13, for instance, it anticipated the June-September rain to be at 92% of LPA, with an error window of 5%. The May 29 update lowered that to 90% with a 4% error window. The IMD’s final estimate sits within this range.

June rains fell short