India's June–September southwest monsoon season finished with rainfall 12.6% below its long-period average, the India Meteorological Department said on September 30. The department reported 759.4 millimetres of rain against a normal 868.6 millimetres, equivalent to 87.4% of the seasonal average. It described the total as the fourth lowest since 2001.
The shortfall was the largest since 2015, when rainfall was 12.7% below normal, according to reports of the weather office's assessment. An IMD official told Reuters that El Niño had contributed to weaker rainfall. The long-period average is a historical benchmark used to compare the season, rather than a prediction of what every place should receive.
Rainfall was uneven across the country, with some areas experiencing heavy spells while others remained substantially below normal. A nationwide deficit therefore does not mean every district had drought conditions, or that flooding could not occur. Local rainfall records, soil moisture and available water supplies are needed to assess conditions in individual farming areas.
The new figures close the June 1–September 30 statistical season. They should not be read as a declaration that rain has stopped everywhere or that the monsoon has withdrawn from the entire country. For farmers preparing the next crop, the season's weaker rain makes local irrigation availability and subsequent weather forecasts especially relevant; the national total alone cannot establish the size of any crop loss.