Himachal: Three locations receive highest ever summer rainfall Sunday

In the last 17 years, the state has recorded above-normal summer precipitation only four times. During the last two years, the seasonal precipitation was below normal by more than 40 per cent, and it was also below normal in 2017. The highest deficit of 63 per cent was recorded in 2004, when the state received only 90 mm of rainfall during March to May.

The state witnessed the second-highest precipitation this summer since 2004. The highest was in 2015, when the state recorded an excess rainfall of 39 per cent, the report said.

It added that 10 of the 12 districts received above-normal precipitation. In the tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, there was a deficit of 51 percent and 47 percent respectively.

Met Centre director Manmohan Singh said that the precipitation in summer is caused by western disturbances, due to which large deviations from the normal are not unusual.

Heavy rainfall at five stations

Sundernagar received 98.7 mm rain on Sunday, the highest-ever recorded there during a single day in the summer season. The previous highest of 90.1 mm rain was recorded on May 25, 1987. Bangana, too, recorded the highest ever rainfall in a day during summer while the RL 1700 weather station at the Bhakra Dam in Bilaspur received 88.5 mm rain, the highest since 2006. Shimla (63.4mm) and Berthin (58.8mm) received the second-highest summer rainfall in a single day.

Maximum temperatures

The weather report said that maximum temperatures in the state were below normal during most days of the season due to 10 significant spells of rain and snow. The highest temperatures were recorded in the month of May, with Una and Sundernagar recording 43.4 and 39.3 degree Celcius respectively. Shimla and Manali recorded the highest maximum temperature of 29 and 28 degree Celcius respectively. In Keylong, it was 21.4 degree Celcius. The highest temperatures during the season were less than those recorded last year at most of the stations in the state, as per the IMD.

Snow

Keylong received 132 centimetres of snow during the season, and Kothi in Kullu district received 103.5 cm snow. Gondla in Lahaul and Spiti recorded snowfall of 160.5 cm till March 19, after which it could not be recorded. Shimla received 13 cm snow from March to May, while Kalpa in Kinnaur received 81.4 cm. Kufri and Dalhousie received 73.3 cm and 47 cm respectively.