Cambodia
Narrative updated. “El Niño is loading the dice against Cambodia's rice bowl — and the monsoon clock is already running late”
Cambodia is bracing for a strong El Niño that scientists warn will bring uneven rainfall, intensifying heat and mounting pressure on farms, water supply and coastal ecosystems. Although measured rainfall for 9 July–6 October 2026 came in about 26% above the 1991–2020 normal and temperatures ran +0.8°C, that window is Cambodia's climatological dry season, so the real test lies in the delayed and erratic onset of the coming monsoon rains. With wet-season rice planting expected to slip by roughly a month, the FAO and researchers warn that every minute counts when drought threatens the crop that feeds half of humanity.
776.1 mm vs 614.3 mm normal
Measured rainfall for 9 July–6 October 2026 ran about 26% above the 1991–2020 normal, yet this window falls in Cambodia's climatological dry season (normally under 20 mm), so the meaningful signal is the articles' forecast of an uneven, delayed onset of the coming monsoon rains rather than the wet-season total.
News source27.51°C mean vs 26.69°C normal
Mean temperatures for the same window measured +0.8°C above normal, consistent with the articles' warnings of intensifying heat alongside El Niño conditions.
News sourceEl Niño typically makes Cambodia drier. Observed rainfall is running +26% — against the canonical response; local factors are dominating.
NASA POWER (MERRA-2) reanalysis, 9 Jul 2026 – 6 Oct 2026, sampled at the country centroid (13.0°, 105.0°). Normals are 1991–2020. How this is computed
When it matters
Agricultural calendar for Cambodia and where the El Niño impact window falls
Last 12 months vs normal
Observed monthly rainfall against the 1991–2020 climatology
Sector by sector
Wet-season rice planting is expected to be delayed by about a month and yields could fall if the monsoon stays erratic, with the November–December harvest most exposed.
Reservoirs, irrigation canals and household supplies are likely to come under strain as El Niño shifts rainfall timing and reduces dry-season recharge.
Prolonged heat raises heat-stress risk, while water scarcity and poorer water quality are expected to increase diarrhoeal disease and threaten nutrition.
Lower reservoir levels could cut hydropower output and raise demand for cooling, increasing the risk of supply shortfalls and higher electricity costs.
Warmer, lower inland waters and shifting flood patterns are expected to disrupt fish migration and breeding, squeezing a key protein source for rural households.
What happened last time
Past El Niño episodes and how Cambodia responded. See the full ENSO timeline →
2023-24
El Niño conditions brought below-normal rainfall and heat stress to parts of Cambodia, affecting rice planting schedules and inland fisheries before conditions eased.
unsourced background2015-16
A powerful El Niño contributed to drought conditions across Cambodia, stressing rice paddies, lowering reservoir levels and prompting emergency water deliveries to affected provinces.
unsourced background1997-98
One of the strongest El Niño events on record brought severe drought and a delayed monsoon to Cambodia, cutting rice production and triggering widespread water shortages in rural areas.
unsourced backgroundLatest coverage
RSSEl Niño Tightens Its Grip on Cambodia as Delayed Rains Threaten Rice Harvest
Cambodia is bracing for a strong El Niño that scientists warn will bring uneven rainfall, intensifying heat and mounting pressure on farms, water supply and coastal ecosystems. Although measured rainf
Cambodia Braces for El Niño as Heat, Drought Threaten Farms and Water Supply
A severe El Niño could threaten something essential to half of humanity – rice
When El Niño brings drought, every minute counts
Cambodia to Face Uneven Rainfall and Rising Temperatures from El Nino
Nearby
Neighbouring countries