October turns out wettest in last 20 years

This October turned out to be the wettest in Himachal in the last 20 years. The state received 68.5 mm rainfall against the normal of 25.1 mm, an excess rainfall of 173 per cent. Incidentally, it’s the 14th highest rainfall in October in the region since 1901.

All districts received large excess precipitation this month with Sirmaur district receiving the highest precipitation of 96.9 mm. Kinnaur district received the lowest precipitation of 37.6 mm. As for departure from the normal rainfall, Bilaspur district saw the highest deviation from the normal by 613 per cent. The lowest deviation of 66 per cent was recorded in Kinnaur district.

Incidentally, it’s the only the fourth instance in the last 15 years when October received more than normal rainfall. All these four instances have been recorded the current decade. In five years of this decade, it was only last year when October saw less than normal rainfall.

As for the weather ahead, light rain or snow is likely at isolated places on November 4, and at a few places on November 5 over the state. Dry weather is likely to prevail over the state during rest days of the week.

Precipitation in October

District                     Actual                     rain (mm)    Normal Departure (%)

BILASPUR                92.6                         13                     613

CHAMBA                   92.7                         34.5                  169

HAMIRPUR             67.6                         20.9                  223

KANGRA                  95.4                         27.7                   244

KINNAUR                37.6                        22.7                    66

KULLU                     82.1                        24.8                    231

L&S                          46.9                           23.9                   96

MANDI                     69.8                        19.9                      251

SHIMLA                   59.5                         25.8                     131

SIRMAUR                96.9                        28.8                        237

SOLAN                       93.7                         21.3                       340

UNA                           64.1                            18.7                     243

HP                             68.5                            25.1                      173