Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Updated: February 19, 2023, 23:43 IST
The MeT said lack of rain and snowfall over the past few weeks have contributed to a sudden rise in temperatures in hill stations like Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. (Image: AFP/File)
After recording highest minimum temperature of 14.4 degrees Celsius, the Himachal Pradesh capital breached highest maximum temperature of February at 23.2 degrees Celsius, surpassing 22.6 degrees Celsius recorded in 2006
The hills seem to be heating up. Queen of the hills, Shimla has breached its highest minimum as well as maximum temperature ever recorded in February.
After recording the highest minimum temperature of 14.4 degrees Celsius, the city breached its highest maximum temperature in February by registering 23.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday, surpassing 22.6 degrees Celsius recorded in the same month in 2006.
Not just Shimla, two other favourite tourist destinations – Solan and Bhuntar – have recorded their highest maximum temperatures ever by registering 29.5 and 29.7 degrees Celsius.
Una, meanwhile, recorded the highest maximum temperature this February at 30.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday. With the trend of above normal temperatures likely to continue over the next couple of weeks, several other places that have not recorded such high temperatures in February before could breach their highest maximum. At the moment, Una and some other places in the state are registering higher maximum temperatures than cities like Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jammu, Amritsar and Ludhiana.
According to the weather department, lack of rain and snowfall over the past few weeks have contributed to a sudden rise in temperatures.
“The actual precipitation recorded this winter is 110.4 mm against the normal precipitation of 149.4 mm. The deviation is 26 percent below normal,” said a spokesperson of the meteorological centre in Shimla. “The actual precipitation recorded last week in the state is 0 against the normal precipitation amount of 27.3 mm. So, the deviation last week has been 100 percent below normal.”
Due to rising temperatures, the state government has advised farmers to apply light irrigation and avoid chemicals and fertilisers on crops like wheat. For vegetables, experts have advised mulching between two rows, delaying sowing of crops or transplanting of vegetables.
The weather department is expecting rain and snowfall at some places in mid and high hills. If the precipitation happens, this will help bring down temperatures.
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