El Nino Could Bring Reduced Monsoon Rainfall in India

New Delhi: India’s monsoon is likely to be below normal this year due to the El Nino phenomenon, which is causing temperatures in the Pacific Ocean to rise.

According to a report by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a possibility of El Nino intensifying from June to August. This could lead to higher temperatures in India and a weaker monsoon season.

According to NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center, the chance of an El Nino event is 62 percent for the June–August period, rising to 80 percent next month.

What is El Nino?

El Nino is a phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures rise in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator. Historically, out of 14 El Nino events since 1980, nine have resulted in below-average monsoon rainfall. However, during the El Nino of 1997, the monsoon was normal. Differences in Pacific Ocean temperatures can reduce the strength of the monsoon winds.