El Niño and rain deficit to worsen Mumbai's air quality
El Niño weather patterns combined with a projected rainfall deficit are likely to aggravate air pollution and worsen air quality in Mumbai in the coming months.
Exerts point to reduced monsoon activity due to El Niño, which typically suppresses rainfall across India. Lower precipitation means fewer washouts of atmospheric pollutants, allowing airborne contaminants to accumulate in the city's lower atmosphere.
The convergence of El Niño-driven dry conditions and structural pollution sources poses a compound risk to respiratory health across the metropolis.
