Less Rains in Assam & Northeastern States

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In monsoon season 2024, the country as a whole received 8% more rainfall than normal, but most of the Northeastern states, including Assam, got less rainfall. Only Tripura, among the Northeastern states, received more rainfall this monsoon.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) calculates the monsoon season from June 1 to September 30. The Southwest Monsoon brings rainfall to Assam and the NE states, along with the rest of the country.

According to the data of IMD’s Regional Metereological Centre, Guwahati, which was calculated from June 5 to September 30, Assam received a total rainfall of 1137.8 mm in this monsoon season, as compared to the normal rainfall of 1429.4 mm during its long period average (LPA). Thus, Assam received 20% less rainfall than normal.

The hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh was the recipient of 1147.7 mm of rainfall against the normal rainfall of 1634.8 mm, which was 30% less than normal. Another worse-affected state is Manipur, with 35% less rainfall in the monsoon season 2024. In this season, Manipur got 653.7 mm, as compared to the normal of 1002 mm.

Similarly, Nagaland also received a deficit rainfall of 32%. In this season, this NE state received 712.9 mm of rain, against the normal rainfall of 1044.1 mm.

Another NE state receiving less rainfall is Mizoram, which received 16% less than normal. During the Southwest Monsoon season of 2024, Mizoram received a rainfall of 1324.4 mm, against the normal of 1576.1 mm.

The neighbouring state of Meghalaya in this monsoon season received 2329.1 mm of rain against a normal of 2631.9 mm. This was 12% less than normal rainfall for the state known as ‘abode of the clouds’.

Amongst the NE states, Tripura was the only state that received more than normal rainfall. The state received 1547.8 mm, compared to the normal of 1319.6 mm, which was 17% more rainfall than normal.

Meanwhile, IMD recently published the salient features of the 2024 Southwest Monsoon Season. According to this report, seasonal rainfalls over Northwest India, Central India, the South Peninsula, and Northeast (NE) India were 107%, 119%, 114%, and 86% of the respective long period average (LPA).

The Southwest Monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall over the monsoon core zone, which consists of most of the rain-fed agriculture regions in the country, received 122% of LPA.

Out of the total 36 meteorological subdivisions, 2 subdivisions (9% of the total area of the country) received largely excess rainfall, 10 subdivisions constituting 26% of the total area received excess rain, 21 subdivisions (54% of the total area) received normal rainfall, and 3 subdivisions in Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, J & K, and Ladakh (constituting 11% of the total area) received deficient monsoon season rainfall.

 Also Read: Torrential Rains to Hit Assam, Meghalaya, and Northeastern States (sentinelassam.com)

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