Mercury stays 5-12 deg C above normal in most parts of Himachal as dry weather persists

Shimla, Mar 6 (PTI) The maximum and minimum temperatures remained 5-12 degrees Celsius above normal in most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Friday, after the meteorological station in Shimla predicted a warm March in the hill state.

Una was the hottest in the state on Friday with a maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius, 7.9 degrees above normal, while Kalpa and Keylong in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts recorded highs of 23.5 degrees and 14.2 degrees Celsius, 14.3 degrees and 12.2 degrees above normal, respectively, according to the Shimla Met station.

The key tourist destinations of Shimla, Dharamsala and Manali recorded day temperatures of 25.3 degrees, 30 degrees and 24.6 degrees Celsius, which were 10.1 degrees, 9.4 degrees, and 10.2 degrees above normal, respectively.

The minimum temperatures also remained significantly above normal in most parts of the state, with Shimla recording a low of 15.4 degrees, 9.3 degrees above normal, and Kalpa recording a minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees, 8.7 degrees above normal, the Met station said.

Amid the dry weather, the month’s rain deficit till March 6 stood at 100 per cent, with the Met station predicting light rain or snow at isolated places in the higher reaches of the state between March 7 and 12. PTI BPL ARI ARI