Guwahati: Assam has recorded a rainfall deficit of over 70 per cent since November last year and an unprecedented 99 per cent since January 1, marking yet another unusually dry winter in the state — a trend experts increasingly link to changing climate patterns.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) data show that against a normal rainfall of 39 mm since January 1, Assam has received a mere 0.4 mm. As many as 25 districts have reported no rainfall at all during this period, while several others have registered deficits exceeding 90 per cent.
The dry spell has continued largely uninterrupted since the second week of November. In Guwahati, around 27.5 mm of rainfall was recorded in the first week of November 2025, but the city has remained almost entirely dry after November 6. Barring a negligible 0.2 mm rainfall on January 5, there has been virtually no precipitation in the capital.
The prolonged lack of rainfall is expected to weigh heavily on agriculture. According to meteorologists, rabi crops such as rapeseed, potato and maize have already experienced significant moisture stress due to insufficient rainfall since early November. He noted that the absence of adequate cold days, coupled with dry conditions, has reduced crop yields and shortened the growth duration of several field crops.
Experts pointed out that February rainfall is crucial for tea production, and the prevailing atmospheric dryness, marked by low relative humidity, could delay the emergence of new tea flushes. The dry and warmer conditions have additionally led to early flowering in fruit crops such as mango and litchi, they observed.
Temperatures in February have been unusually high, particularly in upper Assam, where maximum temperatures on some days were nearly 7 degrees above normal. Although light showers in parts of the state over the past few days have brought a marginal dip in temperatures, the overall seasonal pattern remains significantly drier and warmer than usual.
The IMD has indicated that rainfall activity may pick up during the first week of March, offering a potential respite after months of persistent dryness.