Understanding the Indian Monsoon: How ENSO, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the MJO Interact
Why does the Indian summer monsoon behave differently from one year to another? A new study explores how interactions between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, together with the Madden–Julian Oscillation, shape monsoon rainfall across India. The Indian summer monsoon is one of the most important components of India's climate system. It supplies a major share of the country's annual rainfall and supports agriculture, water resources, ecosystems and livelihoods. However, monsoon rainfall varies considerably from year to year, and even within a single season, different parts of India can experience contrasting rainfall conditions. Several large-scale climate phenomena influence this variability. Among the most important are the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Although each of these phenomena has been studied extensively, understanding how they interact and jointly influence monsoon rainfall remains an importa...