In March, Shimla saw all-time high night temperature of 18°C

Shimla, March 31

A heat wave is sweeping Himachal and the key tourist resorts of Dharamsala and Manali have broken the previous records of maximum temperatures during March while Shimla city has recorded the highest minimum temperature.

The temperatures soared during March and Dharamsala recorded 33.2°C and 32.8°C on March 29 and 30, respectively, breaking the previous high of 31.6°C on March 29, 2010. Manali recorded the highest day temperature of 27.5°C on March 17 and 22, compared to the previous high of 27°C on March 21, 1974, and March 17, 2004.

The minimum temperatures also remained high and Shimla city recorded night temperature of 18°C on March 17, against the earliest highest minimum temperature of 16.5°C on March 22, 2010, according to the Meteorological Department data.

Also, March this year was the driest month in the past 14 years. A rain deficit of 95 per cent was recorded during the month, which was the highest after 96 per cent deficit in 2008.

Five feeble western disturbances affected the state during March and two of them were active that caused rainfall between March 2 and 5 and on March 20 and 21. The state received 5.4 mm of average rain against the normal rainfall of 108.9 mm during March, a huge deficit of 95 per cent, and all 12 districts recorded deficient rain. “The heat stress is not good for rabi crops as it can reduce the yield and cause early ripening of crops, necessitating immediate harvesting,” say weather experts.

The rain deficit was 99 per cent in Sirmaur, 98 per cent in Shimla and Una, 97 per cent in Kinnaur, 96 per cent in Solan and Chamba, 95 per cent in Bilaspur and Lahaul and Spiti and 88 per cent in Mandi district.

Meanwhile, Una was the hottest in the state today with a high of 39°C, while Bilaspur recorded a high of 36.5°C, Sundernagar 35°C, Solan 33.2°C, Bhuntar 32.4°C and Shimla 25.2°C, six to nine degrees above normal.