Himachal receives ninth lowest rainfall in January since 1901

Shimla: With 13.3 mm average rainfall recorded from January 1 to February 1 against a normal of 85.3 mm, Himachal Pradesh received its ninth lowest rainfall in the first month of the calendar year since 1901, the local meteorological department said.

The lowest ever January rainfall of 0.3 mm was recorded in 1966, followed by 6.8 mm in 2024, and 9 mm in 2018.

The rain deficit was 84 per cent, the MeT department said.

All 12 districts of the state received deficit rainfall in January, ranging between 76 per cent in Kullu district and 95 per cent in Hamirpur and Una districts.

Lahaul-Spiti district received 77 per cent less rain, followed by Solan and Kinnaur at 93 per cent, Chamba 88 per cent, Mandi 85 per cent, Shimla 82 per cent and Sirmaur 80 per cent, the weather office said.

The state received isolated to fairly widespread rainfall in January with weak activity on many days and normal activity on three days -- January 12, 16 and 17.

The highest single-day rainfall of 23.5 mm was recorded at Pandoh in Mandi district on January 7, followed by 18.1 mm at Sarahan in Shimla district on January 12.

Koksar in Lahaul-Spiti district received the heaviest snowfall at 19 cm on January 17, followed by Bharmour in Chamba district at 15.3 cm on January 16, and Hansa in Lahaul-Spiti district at 15 cm on January 20.

The MeT department has predicted light precipitation at isolated places on Monday, light to moderate participation at a few places on February 4-5, and dry weather on February 6-7.