Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Northeast Records Lowest Southwest Monsoon Rainfall Since 1901
The Northeast had its driest rainy season since rainfall records began in 1901.
The region received much less rain than usual between June and September 2026.
Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh had too little rain in every monsoon month.
Some very heavy rain fell in Assam late in September, but it was not enough to make up for the earlier shortage.
India as a whole also had less rain than normal.
The Northeast is usually one of India’s wettest areas.
Farmers and communities there depend on monsoon rain for water and agriculture.
September was also unusually warm in East and Northeast India.
The weather department expects mixed rainfall and temperatures in October.
East and Northeast India received 1,017.1 mm of monsoon rainfall in 2026, the lowest total since records began in 1901.
Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh recorded deficient rainfall in all four monsoon months.
India received 759.4 mm of rainfall nationwide, making 2026 the 13th-lowest monsoon season since 1901.
Heavy to very heavy rain in Assam during late September did not erase the region’s accumulated deficit.
East and Northeast India also recorded a September mean temperature of 27.95°C, or 0.74°C above normal.
- Who
- The India Meteorological Department assessed rainfall in East and Northeast India, including Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
- What
- The Northeast recorded its lowest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1901, with 1,017.1 mm during June-September 2026.
- When
- During the June-September 2026 southwest monsoon season; the assessment was reported on Thursday.
- Where
- East and Northeast India, particularly Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Why
- The region experienced a persistent rainfall deficit throughout the monsoon, despite heavy late-September rain in Assam.
- Regional rainfall
- East and Northeast India received 1,017.1 mm during June-September 2026.
- Historical ranking
- The total was the lowest recorded for the region since 1901.
- Affected subdivisions
- Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh recorded deficient rainfall in each monsoon month.
- National rainfall
- India received 759.4 mm during the four-month monsoon season.
- National ranking
- 2026 was India's 13th-lowest monsoon season since 1901 and fourth-lowest since 2001.
- September temperature
- East and Northeast India recorded a mean September temperature of 27.95°C, 0.74°C above normal.
- October outlook
- The India Meteorological Department forecast below-normal rainfall over most of India, with normal to above-normal rainfall possible in some parts of East India.