Erratic monsoon: Crops affected by excess rainfall in areas and deficit in others
Satellite images showed a clear shift in cloud patterns as a Western Disturbance moved across northern India and the monsoon began withdrawing.
- Sep 28, 2026,
- Updated Sep 28, 2026 4:13 PM IST
Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Atish Chandra said India’s monsoon-sown crops were likely affected by rainfall deficits in some areas and excessive precipitation in others as the southwest monsoon enters its final phase.
Speaking at a meeting with state government officials on Monday to discuss preparations for the upcoming winter crop season, Chandra noted that the season faced challenges at the start and water shortfalls would pose difficulties for winter sowing in regions with prolonged rainfall deficits, as mentioned in a report in Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, India’s southwest monsoon continues to retreat from parts of the country. Satellite images showed a clear shift in cloud patterns as a Western Disturbance moved across northern India and the monsoon began withdrawing from parts of the northwest, gradually progressing towards central and eastern regions.
The monsoon is crucial for India’s farmers as it irrigates fields and fills reservoirs that supply water for crops sown during winter, when rainfall is usually low. India is a major producer of rice, wheat, sugar and cotton. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at the meeting that water budgeting was necessary and winter cropping patterns would have to be planned based on water availability.
So far this year, cumulative rainfall for the June to September monsoon season is 12% below the long-term average, according to the India Meteorological Department. If the deficit continues, it would mark the weakest monsoon since 2015, when precipitation was almost 13% below normal. The weather office had forecast a 10% shortfall for this season in May.
A Western Disturbance swept across northern India on Friday and Saturday, altering cloud distribution over the region as rain-bearing clouds linked to the monsoon began to disappear.
The interaction of the Western Disturbance with a depression over central India helped trigger rain across parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi-NCR, even as the monsoon withdrawal continued. Rainfall activity is expected to ease across several parts of the country towards the end of September, with September 29 seen as a possible turning point in the transition to drier weather.
The IMD considers the cessation of rainfall, declining atmospheric moisture and changes in wind circulation before declaring further withdrawal.
Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Atish Chandra said India’s monsoon-sown crops were likely affected by rainfall deficits in some areas and excessive precipitation in others as the southwest monsoon enters its final phase.
Speaking at a meeting with state government officials on Monday to discuss preparations for the upcoming winter crop season, Chandra noted that the season faced challenges at the start and water shortfalls would pose difficulties for winter sowing in regions with prolonged rainfall deficits, as mentioned in a report in Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, India’s southwest monsoon continues to retreat from parts of the country. Satellite images showed a clear shift in cloud patterns as a Western Disturbance moved across northern India and the monsoon began withdrawing from parts of the northwest, gradually progressing towards central and eastern regions.
The monsoon is crucial for India’s farmers as it irrigates fields and fills reservoirs that supply water for crops sown during winter, when rainfall is usually low. India is a major producer of rice, wheat, sugar and cotton. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at the meeting that water budgeting was necessary and winter cropping patterns would have to be planned based on water availability.
So far this year, cumulative rainfall for the June to September monsoon season is 12% below the long-term average, according to the India Meteorological Department. If the deficit continues, it would mark the weakest monsoon since 2015, when precipitation was almost 13% below normal. The weather office had forecast a 10% shortfall for this season in May.
A Western Disturbance swept across northern India on Friday and Saturday, altering cloud distribution over the region as rain-bearing clouds linked to the monsoon began to disappear.
The interaction of the Western Disturbance with a depression over central India helped trigger rain across parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi-NCR, even as the monsoon withdrawal continued. Rainfall activity is expected to ease across several parts of the country towards the end of September, with September 29 seen as a possible turning point in the transition to drier weather.
The IMD considers the cessation of rainfall, declining atmospheric moisture and changes in wind circulation before declaring further withdrawal.