India’s Record Breaking Monsoon Season

Pilot Guides India, South Asia

India’s monsoon season is finally forecast to come to a close on October 10th this year, marking the end of the longest rainy season the country has ever seen.

Typically, the monsoon season lasts through the months of June to September, and draws in before the end of September. The last time the nation saw such a long monsoon period was in 1964, when the rains did not withdraw until the October 1st.

There has been extensive flooding across the northern regions of India due to this year’s rainfall, and it is estimated that the flooding has caused over 100 deaths. Collapsing homes and drowning are responsible for many of the deaths. The rain was initially forcasted to be no more than average, but India has gone on to experience the highest rainfall in 25 years.

The floods have also damaged some of India’s summer crops such as cotton and soy, but the additional rainfall is expected to be of benefit to the winter crops that the nation grows such as chickpeas, wheat and rice. The additional rainfall will also restore reservoirs and ground water supplies for the coming dry seasons.

India is known for its hot, tropical weather. In general, April to June provides the hottest and most uncomfortable weather. The monsoon rains come shortly after and last through September. The cooler weather lasts from November to mid-March, with fresh mornings or evenings and nice dry, sunny days in-between.