This June Becomes India's Fifth Driest Since 1901; Monsoon Rain Down Nearly 40%
This June Becomes India's Fifth Driest Since 1901; Monsoon Rain Down Nearly 40% Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 18:55 IST The weather department
This June Becomes India's Fifth Driest Since 1901; Monsoon Rain Down Nearly 40% Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 18:55 IST The weather department added that the monsoon is likely to reach areas around Delhi within the next two to three days. Rapid Read June of 2026 is the driest it has been in over a decade and fifth driest since 1901. (Image source: Reuters) India has recorded its fifth-driest June since 1901, with the month also emerging as the driest in more than a decade, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country received 99.5 mm of rainfall during June, nearly 40 per cent below the long-term average of 165.3 mm, marking the weakest start to the Southwest Monsoon in years.
The IMD said monsoon rainfall during June remained 39.8 per cent below normal, with several parts of the country still waiting for widespread rains. While isolated showers have reached many regions, the monsoon has advanced much more slowly than usual. In its latest update issued on Monday, the IMD said the Southwest Monsoon had advanced into more parts of Madhya Pradesh, the remaining parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar, some areas of Uttar Pradesh, most of Uttarakhand, and parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. The weather department added that the monsoon is likely to reach areas around Delhi within the next two to three days. The rainfall deficit has been most severe in Central India, where precipitation has been around 50 per cent below normal, according to the IMD.
The delayed progress of the monsoon has been linked to the absence of a well-developed low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, a key weather feature that helps strengthen and push the monsoon deeper into the country. The delayed rains have also intensified heatwave conditions across several regions. Around 50 per cent of India’s agriculture remains dependent on rainfall, making the weak monsoon a major concern for farmers and water resources. Although parts of Sikkim have experienced heavy rainfall and associated damage, the Northeast as a whole has also recorded deficient rainfall, similar to many other regions across the country. The changing rainfall pattern is consistent with warnings made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Its 2021 assessment report said human-induced climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, leading to more frequent episodes of extreme rainfall and flooding in some regions, while increasing the severity of droughts in others.
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