Himachal to get below-normal rainfall this monsoon: Expert

Shimla, April 15 (PTI) Monsoon will remain weak across Himachal Pradesh this year with most parts of the state expected to receive below-normal rainfall between June 1 and September 30, MeT officials said on Wednesday.

Barring Lahaul and Spiti, which is likely to receive above-average rainfall, and Hamirpur, Kinnaur and Chamba districts — expected to get normal precipitation — most parts of the state would receive below-normal rainfall in the upcoming monsoon season, Shobhit Katariya, a weather scientist at the Shimla meteorological office, said.

He said due to the potential El Nino conditions, Himachal will see a below-normal monsoon.

However, the state might see favourable rainfall towards the end of the monsoon season due to the positive shift

of the Indian Ocean Dipole — a climate pattern that enhances monsoon in India — and reduced snow cover in January, February and March this year.

According to data, in the past two decades, Himachal has witnessed normal to below-normal rainfall for most years barring 2010, which saw 10 per cent excess rainfall, 2018 and 2023 — 21 per cent above-normal rain — and 2025, with 39 per cent excess precipitation.

The MeT scientist pointed out that whenever Himachal recorded more-than-normal rain, extreme weather conditions and disaster events were witnessed across the state.

On Wednesday, Keylong recorded the lowest night temperature at 1.3 degrees Celsius, while Una was the hottest during the day, logging 34.5 degrees degrees Celsius.

The Shimla meteorological office has predicted a wet spell in the state from Thursday to Sunday, saying a western disturbance is likely to affect the Western Himalayas from the night of April 16.

For Friday, it has issued a warning for hailstorm, thunderstorm with lightning in the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi.

For Saturday and Sunday, a alert has been issued cautioning of thunderstorms and gusty winds at isolated places in the four districts. PTI BPL KSI ARB ARB