Escalating Extremes: Unraveling Climate Change's Threat to Assam’s Weather Systems

Abstract

Assam is emerging as one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in India, experiencing a sharp rise in extreme weather events driven by accelerating climate change. Once known for its stable monsoon patterns and moderate temperatures, the state is now witnessing prolonged heat waves, erratic rainfall, recurrent floods, and even drought-like conditions. Cyclone-induced rainfall, glacial melt from the Eastern Himalayas, and riverbank erosion further intensify Assam’s ecological and socioeconomic fragility. Agriculture, the state’s economic backbone, faces unpredictable cropping seasons and declining productivity, while urban centers like Guwahati suffer from heat islands, drainage collapse, and health crises. Climate change is also deepening inequalities by disproportionately affecting farmers, indigenous groups, women, and low-income urban households. Though state initiatives such as early warning systems, SAPCC, and wetland conservation have begun to address these risks, more climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and community-oriented adaptation strategies are urgently needed to safeguard Assam’s future.