Assam faces 26% rainfall deficit in March, heatwave risks loom amid rising mercury

Guwahati, April 1: March rainfall in Assam as a whole was deficient by 26 per cent, but data has shown a striking variation in its distribution within the State.

Rainfall was "largely excess' or 'excess' in five eastern Assam districts, while in 13 districts-all in middle, southern or western Assam-it was 'largely deficient', IMD data revealed.

Dhemaji received 187.2 mm rainfall during the month against the normal of 93.5 mm, which is 100 per cent excess. Similarly, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Tinsukia recorded nearly double the normal rainfall in March. Overwhelming rains were also recorded in eastern Assam's Dibrugarh.

In sharp contrast, rains eluded western Assam during the month. Goalpara recorded just 2.7 mm rainfall during the month against the normal of 49.5 mm which is 95 per cent deficient. Nagaon received 5.3 mm rainfall against the normal of 50.5 mm-a deficit of 90 per cent. Baksa (minus 63 per cent), Barpeta (minus 56 per cent), Cachar (minus 80 per cent), Darrang (minus 88 per cent) and other western and southern Assam districts recorded very little rains.

"Rainfall has decreased in the region this week. As such temperatures have also increased. Mean maximum temperatures are also less in the eastern Assam districts. In Guwahati, it has already crossed 34 degree Celsius a few times during the month, where the normal is 30-31 degrees during this time," a weatherman said.

"In eastern Assam districts during this week it has started crossing 30-31 degree Celsius, against the normal of 27-28 degrees. In coming days not much rainfall activity is expected in the State and day temperatures are also likely to be on higher side," he said.

Rainfall in Kamrup Metro district was deficient by 74 per cent in March. Guwahati got just 18.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 63.6 mm. It had poured 16.9 mm in a single day - March 13-in the city. The mercury in the city rose to 35.4 degrees on Sunday.

India is expected to experience hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains, the IMD said on Monday.

Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India where the temperatures are expected to be normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most regions, India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

"From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," he said.

Usually, India records four to seven heatwave days from April to June.

States likely to see above-normal heatwave days include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the northern parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Some states, including eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, are expected to have 10 to 11 heat-wave days during this period, Mohapatra said.

In April, most parts of India will likely witness higher-than-usual maximum temperatures. However, some areas in the extreme southern and the northwestern regions may experience normal temperatures.

Minimum temperatures will be higher than usual across most of the country, except for a few places in the northwest and the northeast where temperatures may be normal or slightly below normal, the IMD chief said.

Last week, the Central government asked states to check if their hospitals were ready to handle heatstroke and heat-related illnesses amid a rise in temperatures.

India experienced an exceptionally harsh summer last year. Official data showed that India recorded 41,789 suspected heat stroke cases and 143 heat-related deaths during one of its hottest and longest heat waves. Experts have said India might be under-counting heat-related deaths due to lack of robust data.

The heat wave arrived much earlier in 2025 than last year. In 2024, India reported its first heat wave in Odisha on April 5 but parts of the Konkan and coastal Karnataka experienced heat waves as early as Febru-ary 27-28 this year.