It corresponds with a weaker south-west monsoon and a longer dry season.

ECONOMIST: Tree rings are laying bare the climatic history of Asia

But in China, hydropower dams on the Lancang (upper Mekong) will operate to store part of the monsoon flow and release it during the dry season.

ECONOMIST: Letters

Last year, India received less rain in the first half of the June-September monsoon season than usual, hitting western India, which has endured a two year-long dry spell, particularly hard.

WSJ: Rains to Lash Drought-Hit Western India