Shimla, July 3
Himachal Pradesh experienced the driest June in recorded history, with rainfall 54% below the norm. The state received only 46.2 mm of rain, a contrast to the 101.1 mm average. This made June 2024 the driest since records began in 1901. Comparatively, the wettest June was in 1971, with 252.7 mm of rain, 150% above the norm.
District-wise, Solan recorded the highest rainfall at 89.4 mm, still 35% below its average. Shimla received 80.3 mm, a 27% deficit, while Chamba and Kangra both saw significant shortfalls at 40.1 mm and 60.7 mm, respectively. Other districts like Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur faced severe deficits, with Lahaul-Spiti receiving only 25 mm (48% deficit) and Kinnaur 16.1 mm (61% deficit).
The district-wise rainfall data for June 2024:
– Bilaspur: 44.4 mm (57% deficit)
– Chamba: 40.1 mm (67% deficit)
– Hamirpur: 39.6 mm (65% deficit)
– Kangra: 60.7 mm (67% deficit)
– Kinnaur: 16.1 mm (61% deficit)
– Kullu: 43.4 mm (50% deficit)
– Lahaul & Spiti: 25 mm (48% deficit)
– Mandi: 73.8 mm (57% deficit)
– Shimla: 80.3 mm (27% deficit)
– Sirmaur: 76.5 mm (54% deficit)
– Solan: 89.4 mm (35% deficit)
– Una: 54.9 mm (47% deficit)
The warmest day in June 2024 was June 20th, with widespread active precipitation, while the hottest was June 28th, with Shimla recording 84.3 mm of rain, indicating a shift in rainfall patterns typically associated with lower temperatures.
This unusual weather pattern in June 2024 highlights the growing unpredictability of climate and its significant impact on local conditions in Himachal Pradesh. As the state braces for July, forecasts suggest normal to above-normal rainfall and temperatures, bringing a hopeful reprieve from June’s dry spell.
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