New Delhi: Just days ago, India’s southwest monsoon appeared to be surging ahead. Today, satellite images are showing a very different picture.
Fresh imagery from Meteosat, NOAA and ISRO’s INSAT-3DS satellites reveals unusually sparse monsoon cloud cover across large parts of central, western and peninsular India — a rare sight for the middle of June. The images have become the clearest indication yet that the monsoon has entered a significant pause.
The slowdown is already visible on the ground. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central India recorded a rainfall deficit of around 65 per cent between June 4 and June 16, making it the worst-hit region in the country. Several districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have received little meaningful rainfall during a period crucial for kharif sowing.
The pause is particularly striking because the monsoon began strongly. After reaching Kerala on June 4, it advanced rapidly across southern and eastern India, covering large parts of the country within days. But since early June, its progress towards central and northwestern India has stalled.
Meteorologists attribute the slowdown primarily to the absence of strong low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which normally act as engines driving the monsoon inland. The monsoon trough has also remained weak, while western disturbances over north India have disrupted the usual circulation patterns.
Another factor weighing on the season is the expected emergence of moderate-to-strong El Nino conditions. Historically, El Nino years tend to suppress rainfall by weakening the moisture-bearing winds that fuel the Indian monsoon.
Experts caution that temporary breaks in the monsoon are not unusual and that strong rainfall spells in July can often make up for June deficits. However, the combination of stalled advancement, weak cloud cover and a sharp rainfall shortfall has made this year’s pause particularly noteworthy.
For farmers growing paddy, soybean, cotton and pulses, the next two weeks could prove decisive. A revival by late June may limit losses, but a prolonged dry spell could intensify concerns over crop sowing, reservoirs and water availability.
For now, the monsoon has not disappeared. But the unusually cloud-free skies visible from space are a reminder that India’s most important weather system has suddenly hit the brakes — and millions are waiting for it to move again.
