El Nino

For decades, El Niño has been one of the most closely watched climate patterns during India’s monsoon season. When ocean waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become unusually warm, rainfall over India often weakens, raising concerns about drought, agriculture, water supplies, and economic growth.

Yet meteorologists have long known that El Niño does not always tell the full story regarding household LPG availability. In some years, India has managed to escape severe monsoon damage despite the presence of a strong El Niño. The reason often lies much closer to home, in the Indian Ocean, where the SACHET launch aims to enhance disaster preparedness.

A climate pattern known as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) can sometimes act as a powerful counterbalance to El Niño. When conditions align, a Positive IOD can strengthen moisture flow toward India and help maintain monsoon rainfall even when Pacific Ocean conditions are working against it.