Assam, a state historically known for its lush green landscapes, the mighty Brahmaputra, and abundant, consistent rainfall, is currently experiencing a significant shift in its weather patterns. While the state still grapples with devastating annual floods, scientific studies and recent data indicate a worrying trend: overall rainfall is becoming less, or more accurately, more erratic and deficient. The traditional, moderate rainfall that sustained its rich ecology is being replaced by prolonged dry spells, punctuated by extreme, short-duration downpours. Analyses of meteorological data over the last several decades, particularly from 1981 to 2017, reveal a gradual, decreasing trend in average annual monsoon rainfall across the state. In fact, recent reports suggest that Assam has faced multiple consecutive years of below-normal monsoon rainfall, leading to severe droughts in many districts. Reports from 2025 indicated that many districts have experienced a 40% to over 70% rainfall deficit, affecting agriculture the most. The nature of the rain has also changed. Instead of the gentle, sustained showers typical of the region, the state is seeing a “fewer rainy days” pattern where intense, concentrated, and heavy rainfall occurs in a very short time, followed by long, dry periods. This shift is detrimental. It causes flash floods because the soil cannot absorb such intense rain, while paradoxically, it triggers agricultural drought because the water does not percolate into the ground or remain in the soil for crops. Climate change is widely considered the primary driver of this phenomenon. Warming of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal has disrupted the usual southwest monsoon, causing reduced moisture incursion over the Northeast. Furthermore, increasing deforestation, rapid urbanisation, and declining forest cover have weakened the natural ecosystem’s ability to regulate the local climate. The impact on Assam’s economy is profound. The state’s agriculture, including its tea industry, relies on timely and adequate rain. Deficient, erratic rainfall directly affects crop yields and increases vulnerability. Also, it is not merely that “less” rain falls in total, but that the rains have become erratic and unpredictable. The underlying trend toward decreased and irregular precipitation is a serious climate crisis. This change necessitates better water management, stronger adaptive agriculture practices, and urgent local action to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change on the state’s environment and livelihood.