India Faces Record Low Post‑Monsoon Rainfall as El Nino Drives Dry Conditions

India faces a dry post‑monsoon season as a strengthening El Nino pushes October‑December rainfall significantly below normal, according to the latest forecast that warns of reduced precipitation across the country.

IMD data shows 2026 monsoon rainfall is the fourth‑lowest since records began in 2001, marking the decade’s lowest total and confirming a trend of weakening rains that heightens drought risk in central and western states.

Farmers in the affected zones are already seeing lower water levels in reservoirs and wells, prompting local authorities to issue water‑saving advisories and to plan for possible emergency relief measures to protect crops.

Experts note that the neutral Indian Ocean Dipole offers no compensating rain, so the combined El Nino and weak monsoon could cut yields, push food prices higher, and strain groundwater supplies already under pressure.