2026 southwest monsoon ends 12.6% below normal, the weakest since 2015
Key facts
- India got 759.4 mm of rain from June to September 2026, against a normal of 868.6 mm.
- That is 87% of the Long Period Average, the lowest seasonal total since 2015.
- East and northeast India were 25.6% short, their driest monsoon since 1901.
- The southern peninsula was 24.3% short. 17 of 36 subdivisions were deficient.
- IMD linked the shortfall to a strong El Niño, per its 30 September 2026 briefing.
Why it matters
[Data] A weak monsoon hits kharif output, rural incomes and food prices. This one also confirms the El Niño warning IMD gave in spring. Know the LPA figure and which regions were hit hardest.
Asked before: CDS (I) 2022 asked which one is not a result of the El Niño effect.
Test yourself
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