IMD data show 94% shortfall till Feb 28
Moa Jamir
Dimapur | March 1
Nagaland has entered March under a pronounced spell of dryness, with official rainfall statistics revealing a near-total collapse of winter precipitation across the state.
From January 1 to February 28, 2026, Nagaland received just 1.9 mm of rainfall against a normal of 32.5 mm, marking a 94% departure from normal and placing the state in the ‘Large Deficient’ (LD) category, as per rainfall data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
As per IMD categorisation, LD refers to a departure of –60% to –99% from normal rainfall.
The shortfall is visible across districts. In Kohima, not a single millimetre of rainfall was recorded during the two-month period, against a normal of 40.0 mm. Mon, which normally receives over 50 mm during this period, also recorded no rainfall. Kiphire, Phek and Zunheboto were among the other districts reporting no rain, taking the total to five districts.
Data for Longleng, Tuensang and Peren were not available. However, given the State’s average figures, precipitation in these districts is presumed to have been negligible or nil.
Even in districts where rainfall was recorded, the amounts were sharply below normal. Dimapur received 1.4 mm against a normal of 22.3 mm, while Wokha recorded just 1.0 mm compared to its seasonal normal of 39.0 mm; both were categorised as LD.
Only Mokokchung recorded relatively higher accumulation at 14.1 mm, but this too was about 60% below its seasonal average.
This winter deficit follows an already uneven rainfall pattern in 2025. While India as a whole ended the southwest monsoon season with surplus rainfall, the Northeast region recorded below-normal precipitation. The limited monsoon gains were insufficient to offset the subsequent winter collapse.
However, as per IMD data, the sub-division of NMMT (Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura) recorded normal rainfall during the 2025 monsoon season.
The dryness has continued into early March. On March 1, Nagaland recorded no measurable rainfall against a normal of 1.1 mm, extending the deficit into the pre-monsoon period.
The absence of widespread rainfall activity in the immediate forecast suggests that relief is not imminent. IMD’s Sunday night weather bulletin indicated no rain until March 7.
The cumulative effect of back-to-back shortfalls has placed Nagaland in a phase of multi-season rainfall stress so far.
The shortfall was widespread across the Northeast, with Arunachal Pradesh (–83%), Assam (–97%), Meghalaya (–91%), Manipur (–99%), Tripura (–99%) and Sikkim (–84%) recording large deficiencies and ‘No Rain’ in Mizoram (–100%).
For the period January 1 to February 28, 2026, India recorded 16.0 mm of rainfall against a normal of 39.8 mm, marking a 60% deficit.
