New Delhi – India’s annual monsoon, a lifeline for agriculture and water supply, has turned destructive this year. What is traditionally viewed as a season of replenishment has, instead, devastated communities across the country. From the hills of Himachal Pradesh to the plains of Punjab, and deep into the southern states, the monsoon has brought not just rainfall but widespread death and destruction.
Heavy rainfall events—once rare and scattered—have become intense and frequent. Between August 28 and September 3, parts of northwest India recorded rainfall levels 180% above average, while southern regions also saw an excess of 73% above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Entire villages were submerged, roads washed away, and hillsides collapsed under the weight of sudden downpours.
But this isn’t simply a year of bad luck. The increasing frequency and intensity of such events point to a changing climate, atmospheric shifts, and unrestrained human interference in natural systems.
Monsoon Pattern Has Changed Drastically
The Indian monsoon, which typically lasts from June to September, is not behaving like it used to. Historically, the rains were evenly distributed over the four-month period. But now, scientists and meteorologists are observing a clear shift—shorter dry spells are punctuated by sudden, intense rainfall, dumping massive volumes in localized regions within hours or days.
This change is attributed largely to global warming. The warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, and when it condenses, it releases energy in the form of extreme precipitation. Moisture from both the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea is now feeding a monsoon system that is more erratic and explosive.
According to climate experts, these sudden cloudbursts and flash floods are becoming a new normal. In Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Indian-administered Kashmir, such events have been particularly deadly. Moisture-heavy clouds, unable to move beyond the mountainous terrain, empty their contents in an area too quickly to be absorbed, causing deadly landslides and floods.
Westerly Disturbances and Their Deadly Interactions
Beyond climate-induced moisture levels, this year’s monsoon has also been heavily influenced by westerly disturbances—weather systems that usually travel from the Mediterranean region toward India. These are typically associated with winter rainfall in northern India and retreat during peak monsoon months. However, in 2025, they collided head-on with the existing monsoon system.
This rare convergence led to continuous, heavy downpours in states like Punjab and Haryana, where some districts received over 1,000% more rainfall than the average in just one day. The IMD attributes this to an “atmospheric tango,” where the cold air masses from the west clashed with moist monsoonal air, resulting in high-energy storms.
Akshay Deoras, meteorology researcher at the University of Reading, explains this interaction as an unnatural trigger: “The monsoon acts as a loaded water cannon, and the westerly disturbance pulls the trigger.” This “trigger” was activated repeatedly throughout August and early September, drenching north India with rainfall levels unseen since 1988.
Jet Streams: A Deeper Atmospheric Shift
Behind these rare interactions lies another powerful force—jet streams. These high-altitude wind currents, which usually maintain a predictable west-to-east trajectory, have started meandering more frequently. The subtropical jet stream, in particular, has moved southward, guiding westerly disturbances deep into central and northern India.
Scientists suggest this “waviness” of jet streams is being amplified by global warming, which disrupts atmospheric equilibrium. These distorted jet patterns have been linked to extreme weather events across the globe—from heatwaves in Europe to floods in South Asia.
In India, these wavering jet streams allowed cold air from the Mediterranean to meet warm monsoon air—a cocktail for extreme rainfall.
The Himalayas Are Becoming Increasingly Fragile
As intense rains continue to batter northern India, a deeper environmental crisis is unfolding. The Himalayan mountain range, home to several glacial rivers and delicate ecosystems, is becoming increasingly unstable.
Scientists report that glaciers are melting rapidly, creating overfilled glacial lakes. These lakes, when breached, unleash torrents of water downstream, often without warning. In other cases, underground lakes swell and burst through fissures in the rock.
These phenomena are not always tied to rainfall. Areas in northern India and Pakistan have experienced devastating floods even in the absence of major precipitation events. Landslides, triggered by both rain and geological instability, often block rivers, creating temporary dams. When these artificial lakes break, the resulting floods are swift and unforgiving.
The glue that holds these mountains together—ice, snowpacks, and permafrost—is melting fast. With this natural cement weakening, entire slopes collapse under the pressure of rainfall.
Geoscientist Jakob Steiner from the University of Graz notes that rainfall at high altitudes is compounding the problem. “Where it used to snow, it now rains,” he says. “And when rain falls on snowfields, it can cause them to melt within a day, creating devastating flash floods.”
Human Actions Have Worsened the Impact
Beyond natural factors, man-made decisions have played a critical role in amplifying the damage.
Across northern India, rivers have been encroached upon by unregulated construction, reducing their ability to manage overflow. Towns and cities have expanded into floodplains, ignoring environmental assessments and violating land-use norms.
Infrastructure projects in the Himalayan region—such as tunnels, highways, and hydropower dams—have altered the natural drainage and weakened the mountainous terrain. These activities not only increase the risk of landslides but also prevent the land from absorbing rainfall efficiently.
In urban areas, aging drainage systems, unmaintained river embankments, and widespread plastic pollution have contributed to waterlogging and flash floods. Despite early warnings by the IMD about an above-normal monsoon, most cities failed to upgrade their flood preparedness.
The Delhi-Mumbai corridor, for instance, witnessed multiple instances of urban flooding, with water levels rising dangerously in low-lying zones. Authorities blamed “unprecedented rainfall,” but experts say the real issue is outdated infrastructure and unplanned growth.
Lack of Preparedness and Policy Blind Spots
The IMD and various scientific bodies had issued clear alerts about potential heavy rainfall events. Yet, the response from state and municipal governments remained reactionary.
Disaster response mechanisms were overwhelmed in several states. Relief efforts lagged, shelters were under-equipped, and coordination between agencies remained poor. Evacuation plans in high-risk zones were either missing or implemented too late to prevent fatalities.
Experts point out that climate resilience and disaster preparedness are still not integrated into development planning. While India has made progress in forecasting extreme weather, it continues to fall short in translating forecasts into action on the ground.
India’s deadly monsoon season in 2025 is not just a result of natural climate variability. It is a direct outcome of compounded environmental stressors, including rising global temperatures, worsening atmospheric patterns, and human-induced ecological degradation.
With more than 1,000 deaths, untold economic losses, and entire communities displaced, the events of this season are a stark reminder that the monsoon is changing faster than India’s systems can adapt.
To prevent future catastrophes, long-term planning must replace short-term fixes. Infrastructure must be climate-resilient, urban development must respect ecological boundaries, and environmental laws must be strictly enforced. Without immediate and coordinated action, the monsoon may no longer remain India’s seasonal blessing—it could become its most enduring curse.
