Himachal Received 63 Per Cent Excess Rain In April

Himachal Pradesh received 104.1 mm of rainfall in April, an excess of 63 per cent, officials said on Monday.

The state received an excess rainfall of 70 per cent in April 2021 and recorded rain deficit of 89 per cent in the same month in 2022. In April 2007, the state had a rainfall deficit of 86 per cent.

The pre-monsoon rain deficit from March 1 to April 30 this year was only two per cent against normal rainfall of 64 mm, the local meteorological station stated.

Barring the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti which received normal rainfall, all other districts received excess rain.

Bilaspur district had the highest rainfall of 80.5 mm, an excess of 201 per cent, while Solan, Shimla, Mandi and Sirmaur received 187, 161, 141 and 116 per cent excess rains.

There were 12 "wet days" in April when widespread rains were recorded. The state received moderate to heavy rains at a few places on Monday and maximum day temperatures dropped sharply and stood five to 16 degrees below normal.

The sky remained heavily overcast and intermittent rains continued. Shimla and Gaggal were the wettest in the state with 58 mm rains, followed by Bhoranj 28 mm, Jatton Barrage 27 mm, Mandi 26.4 mm, Sangrah 25 mm, Palampur 24 mm, Ghamroor 23 mm, Bharari 22 mm, Sunni Bhajji 20 mm, Renuka 18 mm, Chamba 17 mm, Guler and Shillaro 16 mm, Gohar 14 mm, and Jogindernagar 13 mm. 

Chamba and Hamirpur recorded maximum temperatures of 20.7 degrees and 21.5 degrees. Narkanda and Kufri recorded day temperatures at 7.4 degrees and 9.2 degrees, followed by Kalpa 10.8 degrees and Shimla 12.9 degrees.

The local MeT office has issued orange warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning and hailstorm at isolated places on May 1 and 2 and yellow warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning and hailstorm at isolated places from May 3 to 5. It also predicted a wet spell in the region till May 7.