Recent rainfall brings down deficiency in Jan, Feb to 26%

The recent spell of heavy rainfall has helped reduce rain deficiency in the state in January and February to 26 per cent from around 70 per cent.

The state received deficient rainfall having departure of 26 per cent in January and February this year. Actually, 138 mm of rainfall was received against the normal rainfall of 187.1 mm during the winter. Kullu district received excess rainfall while Mandi and Shimla districts received normal rainfall. Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts received deficient rainfall while Bilaspur and Kinnaur districts were most deficient.

The recent spell of rain and snow put an end to the prolonged dry spell and resulted in 22 per cent surplus rainfall of 124.7 mm in February, reducing rain deficiency from around 70 per cent to 26 per cent in January and February.

According to the weather data shared by the local Meteorological Centre, the state received an overall excess precipitation with departure of 22 per cent last month. The state received 124.7 mm of actual rainfall against 101.8 mm of normal rainfall in February.

Kullu and Mandi districts received the highest excess rainfall of 104 mm and 61 mm, respectively, while Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti and Una districts received surplus rainfall. Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts received normal rainfall while Solan, Kinnaur and Bilaspur districts received deficient rainfall last month.

Himachal received 84 per cent deficient precipitation of mere 13.3 mm of actual rainfall against 85.3 mm of normal rainfall from January 1 to 31. During this period, Lahaul and Spiti received the highest precipitation of 23.3 mm while Una and Hamirpur districts were most deficient and received 95 per cent less rainfall.

All districts of Himachal Pradesh had received large scale deficient precipitation in January.