Monsoon Retreats: Dry North, Wet South, & El Niño's Decade-Long Impact!
Monsoon Retreats: Dry North, Wet South, & El Niño's Decade-Long Impact!
India's monsoon season wraps up with a significant 13% rainfall deficit, marking the driest decade. El Niño is pinpointed as the culprit, causing widespread dry spells in the north while southern and northeastern regions
As the monsoon season makes its final retreat across India, a stark contrast in weather patterns is emerging, with dry skies and rising temperatures returning to the northern plains, while the southern and northeastern parts of the country continue to experience fresh spells of rain.
Recent observations show that rainfall remains primarily concentrated in the south, northeast, and parts of eastern India.
Weather systems active in these regions are triggering localized precipitation.
Specifically, parts of southern India, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal, are expected to see isolated thunderstorms, complete with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Interior Karnataka are likely to experience isolated rain, prompting local authorities and residents to stay alert.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that the monsoon is set to retreat further over the next 24 hours, signaling a clear transition towards the post-monsoon period. As the retreat line steadily advances through the northern and central states, vast stretches of these plains will continue to face dry weather conditions.
This year's four-month southwest monsoon season concluded with a cumulative rainfall deficit of nearly 13% against the long-period average, making it the driest monsoon period in a decade.
The country recorded a mere 759.4 mm of precipitation compared to a normal of 868.6 mm.
This significant shortfall has been largely attributed to the onset and strengthening of El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
These conditions severely disrupted typical precipitation patterns across major agricultural belts and led to extended dry spells during critical sowing months, raising concerns for the agricultural sector and water resources nationwide.
