Gurugram received only 23.7mm of rain this September, according to data collated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) – leaving the district with a deficit of 52.1% against its normal 49.5 mm.

Haryana’s September rainfall deficit follows two years of surplus, with the state recording 70% excess rain in 2025 and 37% in 2024. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

September’s rain data follows a surplus of 17% in August when Gurugram received 217.4mm of rain against the normal of 185.1mm, and recorded 163mm rainfall in July against a normal of 175mm, a 12 mm deficient placing it under ‘normal’ category, IMD data showed.

Meanwhile, with only 76.5 mm of rain in September, Haryana has recorded a 45% deficit in rainfall this year – the first time in three years that the state has recorded a shortfall against the normal of 140.1mm, IMD data showed.

This year’s deficit comes after two years of massive surpluses. In September 2025, Haryana received a surplus of 70%, while 2024 saw a surplus of 37%. In September 2023, the state recorded a 44% deficit.

Fourteen districts recorded deficient or largely deficient rainfall, while the remaining districts recorded normal rainfall, except Panchkula, which recorded largely excess rainfall.

Among districts with deficient rainfall, Ambala recorded a 34.1% deficit, followed by Jhajjar at 44%, Rewari at 48%, Yamuna Nagar at 55%, Kaithal at 56.5% and Sirsa at 58%.

Bhiwani recorded the highest deficit among districts with largely deficient rainfall at 84%, followed by Nuh at 74%, Sonepat at 70%, Faridabad at 66%, Jind at 65%, Mahendragarh at 64% and Fatehabad at 61%.

Hisar, Palwal, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal and Kurukshetra recorded normal rainfall, while Panchkula recorded rainfall 8% above normal.

The number of rainfall days and the length of the dry spell in September were not immediately available from the IMD. The IMD is also yet to release Haryana’s cumulative monsoon rainfall for 2026 and its season-wide departure from normal, with the data expected to be released soon.

“Overall, rainfall has remained deficient in Haryana this year. El Niño was one of the major factors behind the weak monsoon,” an IMD official said. “While we cannot blame El Nino entirely, but it has been one of factors in deficient rainfall that Haryana witnessed. During parts of July, the monsoon trough stayed too far south. This meant rain-bearing clouds concentrated more over central and eastern India instead of moving across the northwestern plains, including Haryana and Delhi, which is why June and July saw comparatively less rainfall in the state,” he added.

“Haryana’s rainfall deficit in September was largely due to the early weakening and withdrawal of the southwest monsoon over northwest India. The state saw a prolonged dry spell during the latter half of the month, limiting opportunities for rainfall to make up for the shortfall accumulated during the season,” the official added, asking not to be named.

IMD officials said the monsoon has withdrawn from Haryana, and temperatures might dip due to recent snowfall in higher reaches, though dry weather is expected in the coming days.

The IMD classifies rainfall departures of -20% to -59% as deficient, -60% to -99% as large deficient, -19% to 19% as normal, 20% to 59% as excess and 60% or more as large excess.