Asia Update #42: Relief in Bangladesh, northeast India

Moisture improved last week across Bangladesh and northeast India as  moderate to heavy rains pounded the area. Those rains extended southward into Burma. The rest of southeast Asia had seasonable precipitation as coastal parts of China had positive rainfall anomalies. Seasonal dryness continues across most of the Middle East

Asia Update #38: Rains Still off Across South Asia

Rainfall is still not where it needs to be across India, this week rainfall concentrated in northwestern India, denying much of the rest of the country of needed moisture. Meanwhile in the Pacific, Ma-on is looking like it will miss the developing east Asian countries, Japan, however is likely to take the brunt of a very powerful typhoon. Southeast Asia picked up much better rainfall over the last week. In the Middle East, conditions remained seasonably dry.

Asia Update #28: Rains return to China, India and Bangledesh

Substantial improvement in Bangladesh, nearby parts of India, along with southern, drought ravaged, China. Heavy rain pounded the central Philippines, as dry weather settled into Sumatra and Borneo. Meanwhile the Middle East, including Syria, has returned to seasonably dry weather.

Asia Update #27: Flooding Downpours in Sumatra

Heavy rains slammed southern Sumatra in western Indonesia this past week. Elsewhere, drought persisted in southern China, and rainfall remains poor across Bangladesh and northeast India. Precipitation continued across much of the Middle East and Central Asia well past when it should have ended.

Asia Update #26: Rains ease in SE Asia

Rains continue after the end of the season from the Black and Caspian Seas to the Hindu Kush. The monsoon is recovering from a slow start in south Asia. Meanwhile rains ease across the ASEAN countries and drought persists in southern China.

Asia Update #24: Slow Start to the Indian Monsoon

There has been a slightly slow start to the Indian monsoon, although it is too early to tell if this will have a significant impact on the season. Southern China remains locked into a long term drought, as excessive rainfall continues to pound southeast Asia.

Asia Update #22: Heavy rain across ASEAN

Heavy rain continues to pound almost all of the countries in southeast Asia. Rainfall is expected to continue in the northeastern corner of South Asia. Seasonable conditions in the Middle East and Central Asia, as drought continues unabated in China.

Japan Earthquake Creates Tsunami Risk for Pacific Ocean

This La Niña: Typical, and Unusual at Once

Flooding, Landslides remains a risk in southeast Asia

Disaster looms in East Africa

There have been several consecutive seasons with above average rainfall in East Africa, an unusual event in this drought prone area. Then everything changed. The abundant moisture of past seasons exited the region resulting in drought conditions across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. The October to December rains, known as the Deyr Rains, have failed. Pasture for cattle to graze on is running out, and crops that were planted in the hopes of a wet season have barely broken the surface, if they were lucky enough to even germinate. Many areas, especially in Somalia and Ethiopia, have received no rain at all. The prognosis isn't good. Little to no rain is coming to end the drought in the next month and a half. What happened? What went wrong? ...and when will it end?