Himachal Pradesh is in the grip of an unusual heat spell. Across the state, day temperatures are running eight to fourteen degrees above normal, turning the first week of March into something closer to late April.
Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded 32.2°C, the highest in early March in nearly two decades, according to the Meteorological Centre in Shimla. Kalpa in the tribal belt climbed to 22.6°C, around 14 degrees above normal. Shimla touched 24.1°C, nearly nine degrees above what March typically brings. Manali reached 24.0°C, sitting 9.6 degrees above normal.
Where the Heat Is Hitting Hardest
Una recorded 31.5°C. Kangra reported 30.8°C. Solan and Bhuntar each reached 30.0°C. In the mid-hill region, Nahan recorded 26.8°C. The India Meteorological Department described the average maximum temperature across the state as appreciably above normal.
Kalpa’s all-time March record stands at 24.4°C, set on March 20, 2010. The current reading of 22.6°C in the first week of the month, still nearly two degrees short of that record, has never been logged this early in March.
Why This Is Happening
No significant Western Disturbance has passed through the region in recent days, leaving the state largely dry. The absence of cloud cover and rainfall has allowed temperatures to build steadily across both low-lying areas and higher elevations.
The IMD said maximum temperatures are expected to rise by a further two to three degrees over the next four to five days across many parts of the state before any relief arrives.
When Relief May Come
A fresh Western Disturbance is expected to become active from March 7. The weather office has forecast light rain across mid-hill areas and light snowfall in the higher reaches of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba, and Kullu over the following days. Until then, dry and warm conditions are likely to continue across plains and mid-hill zones.
For a state where early March usually means snowfall in the upper hills and cool winds in the valleys, this week has been anything but normal.
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