Himachal sweats in March too: Bhuntar, Kangra, Solan among 8 towns above 30°C

Kullu: It is getting unseasonable warm in Himachal Pradesh. Eight of the 36 towns with weather stations in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday recorded a maximum temperature of 30°C or more, as a continuous dry spell has resulted in a spike in mercury across the state.According to the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, Neri in Hamirpur district recorded the highest maximum temperature of 34.5°C during the day.
It was followed by Mandi at 33.6°C, which is 8°C above normal; Sundernagar at 33.3°C, which is 10.3°C above normal; Kangra at 33°C, which is 11.1°C above normal; Una at 32.2°C, which is 6.1°C above normal; Bertin at 32°C; Bhuntar at 31.8°C, which is 10.9°C above normal; and Solan at 31.5°C, which is 9.4°C above normal.Among tourist destinations, Dharamshala was the warmest, with a maximum temperature of 29°C. It was followed by Shimla and Manali at 25.2°C each, and Dalhousie at 24.3°C.Even Kalpa in Kinnaur recorded a maximum temperature of 24°C on Thursday.There has also been a gradual rise in minimum temperature. At least 15 weather stations recorded above-normal minimum temperatures on Thursday.According to the Meteorological Centre, Shimla's minimum temperature was at 15.4°C, which is 9.3°C above normal; Palampur at 15°C, which is 7°C above normal; Kangra at 13.6°C, which is 5.4°C above normal; Solan at 13.2°C, which is 6.5°C above normal; Dharamshala at 10.3°C, which is 1.3°C above normal; and Kalpa at 7.2°C, which is 8.4°C above normal.Kukumseri recorded the lowest minimum temperature of -0.9°C during the day.The state is again witnessing a dry spell. There was a brealk from the dry spell in Feb, but even that was deficient. In Feb, the state recorded a rainfall of 15.7mm, which was 85% less than the normal of 101.8 mm, and it has not rained at all this month, resulting in rising temperatures.Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre has predicted possibility of light rain and snow in isolated parts of the high hills, and light rain in parts of the mid and low hills on Mar 7, 9, and 10.