{
  "id": 8147641,
  "title": "Tropics' bad boy puts India’s monsoon on edge",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/tropics-bad-boy-puts-indias-monsoon-on-edge",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T01:44:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/el-nio-puts-india-on-track-for-its-driest-monsoon-since-2009/articleshow/134323707.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India faces the prospect of its driest monsoon in 17 years, as a strengthening El Niño disrupts rainfall patterns and raises concerns about crop yields and food prices. The India Meteorological Department reports that rainfall during the June to September monsoon season is currently 15% below the long-term average, potentially marking the weakest monsoon since 2009. The forecast called for a 10% shortfall back in May.\n\nA tropical cyclone could bring rain to some areas of India in late September, according to Christian Werner, managing director of Australia-based consultancy Global Weather Climate Analytics. However, the storm is unlikely to significantly alter the overall national deficit, which is expected to range between 13% and 16%, according to forecasts and predictions from Lancaster University's CRUCIAL platform.\n\nAdequate monsoon rains are vital for India's farmers, who rely on the seasonal precipitation to irrigate crops in the world's largest producer of rice, sugar and cotton. The monsoon accounts for the majority of the country's annual rainfall. The shortfall could impact the current harvest and the upcoming crop cycle, contributing to rising food prices, which have been climbing for a seventh consecutive month and reached a 5.95% inflation rate in August, the highest level this year.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Standard IN",
        "title": "India on track for driest monsoon in 17 years as El Niño curbs rain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/india-on-track-for-driest-monsoon-in-17-years-as-el-nino-curbs-rain",
        "published": "2026-09-18T03:40:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}