How can a failed monsoon lead to drought in Uttar Pradesh?

The climate of Uttar Pradesh is defined by the tropical monsoon, which provides approximately 90 percent of the state's annual rainfall between June and September. Because the vast majority of the region's precipitation is concentrated within this four-month window, the state is highly dependent on these seasonal rains for its water supply.1

A failed monsoon results in drought conditions because the state lacks sufficient alternative rainfall throughout the remainder of the year. When the southwest monsoon fails to deliver the expected volume of water, the resulting deficit leads to drought, which can cause total crop failure, particularly in areas that lack adequate irrigation.12

The variability of this rainfall is influenced by several complex factors, including El Niño episodes, which can make monsoons erratic and decrease summer rainfall. Additionally, environmental conditions such as excessive spring snow and ice cover on the Plateau of Tibet have been linked to deficient monsoon rainfall during the subsequent summer season in India.34