Himachal may get relief from heatwave as western disturbance gets active over state
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Himachal Pradesh anticipates relief from the scorching heatwave as the Meteorological Centre in Shimla has forecast the arrival of a western disturbance from June 18 onwards. This weather system is expected to bring widespread rain across the state from June 19 to 23, potentially alleviating the intense heatwave that has gripped the region.
In a welcomed respite, Rohtang Pass experienced light snowfall, while Kullu received refreshing rain showers on Monday. The rain and snow brought temperatures down by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius, offering relief to both residents and tourists in the Kullu-Manali region.
Rainfall was also reported in several other parts of the state, including Atal Tunnel, Koksar, Sissu, Dharamshala, Palampur, Baijnath, Nagrota Bagwan, Khaira, Shahpur and Mandi. In Shimla, cool evening winds provided a temporary reprieve from the daytime heat, signaling a potential shift in weather patterns.
Extreme heatwave condition
On Monday (June 17), Nahan recorded an unprecedented maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, the highest in 29 years since 1995 when temperatures peaked at 40.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures soared across districts like Sirmaur, Mandi, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, Kangra and Kullu, with Sundernagar hitting 41.2 degrees Celsius, slightly lower than the record of 41.6 degrees Celsius set in 2019. Ten areas reported temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, intensifying the heatwave’s grip on the region.
Nighttime heatwave impact
The nighttime temperatures have also been unusually high this season, with Paonta Sahib recording a minimum of 30 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, a first for the year. Dharamshala, Nahan, and Solan have been experiencing heatwave conditions even during the nighttime due to elevated minimum temperatures, adding to the discomfort.
As Himachal Pradesh awaits the promised rainfall from the Western Disturbance, residents and authorities are hopeful that the impending weather change will bring much-needed relief from the prolonged heatwave conditions across the state.
