El Niño threatens India with driest monsoon since 2009
El Niño conditions are putting India on track for its driest monsoon season since 2009, according to Bloomberg reporting. The climate pattern is expected to suppress rainfall during the critical monsoon months, which typically account for the bulk of India's annual precipitation.
A prolonged dry monsoon poses significant risks to India's agriculture sector, which depends heavily on rainfall for irrigation. Lower precipitation could also strain water supplies across the country and impact reservoir levels heading into the dry season.
