Guwahati: Meghalaya, usually the planet’s wettest corner, is parched. The India Meteorological Department reports the state received a paltry 1,077.1 mm of rain this season. That is a 60 percent drop from the 2,695.3 mm normal. The Northeast region as a whole recorded its lowest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1901.
Total regional rainfall hit only 1,017.1 mm from June through September. Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh remained deficient throughout all four months. The numbers reflect a broader decline, with India seeing its 13th-lowest seasonal rainfall in 125 years. This season was dry. It was also hot.
East and Northeast India sweltered through a mean September temperature of 27.95 degrees Celsius, making it the sixth-warmest September on record. Weather patterns shifted wildly across the state. Out of 11 districts with available data, seven saw large rainfall deficits. West Jaintia Hills took the hardest hit at 79 percent below normal. West Khasi Hills fell 67 percent short, while West Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills dropped 71 and 70 percent respectively.
Even the legendary rain magnets of Sohra and Mawsynram failed to escape the trend. Sohra netted 5,277.2 mm against an 8,301.1 mm average. Mawsynram received 6,169.1 mm compared to its usual 9,338.4 mm. These sites were not the only outliers. Some areas defied the drought entirely. South West Khasi Hills recorded a 47 percent surplus, and Baghmara saw a 22 percent increase in expected rain. The India Meteorological Department notes that "the rainfall story was not uniformly dry."
This uneven distribution now threatens local agriculture and water systems. Forecasters expect continued erratic conditions through October. The region faces a shift in a climate that historically relied on steady, heavy rain. The 2026 data shows the state is struggling to adapt to a new, unpredictable reality.
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