NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (IANS): India is preparing for the impact of El Nino this year, with scientists warning that the current event could strengthen into a very strong or “super” episode, likely to peak between late 2026 and early 2027. Its immediate impact on India is expected to be a higher risk of below-normal monsoon rainfall during July-September, increased stress in central and western rain-fed regions, and pressure on hydropower generation and electricity grids.
Experts define El Nino as a climatic phenomenon characterised by unusual warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, disrupting global weather patterns. It occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific rise at least 0.5°C above average for five consecutive overlapping three-month seasons, accompanied by a weakening of the easterly trade winds and shifts in tropical rainfall patterns.
A “super” El Nino refers to an exceptionally strong event, typically when sea surface temperature anomalies exceed 2°C in the reference Nino region. Such events are rare and have widespread global impacts. Scientists have warned that the 2026 event could rank among the strongest on record.
IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall across the country this month, at less than 94 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA).
Friday, July 10, 2026