Shimla : The capital city of the north Indian hill state Himachal Pradesh witnessed a sharp drop in temperatures over the past 24 hours, with the minimum temperature plunging to 3.6 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest April night in nearly 46 years.
According to data from the Meteorological Centre in Shimla, the unusually low night temperature broke a decades-old record. The previous comparable low for April was recorded in 1979, when the mercury had dipped to around 3.4 degrees Celsius.
Speaking to ANI, the Head of the IMD, Himachal Pradesh, Shobhit Katiyar, said that persistent rainfall and snowfall activity over the past two to three days led to a significant fall in temperatures across the state.
"In Shimla, the maximum temperature was recorded at 11.4 degrees Celsius, which is the lowest April daytime temperature in nearly 11 to 12 years. A similar temperature was last observed around 2015," he said.
He further added that the minimum temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius in April is the lowest recorded in the city in over four decades. "If we look at long-term data, such low night temperatures in April were last seen in 1979. This indicates a drop of this magnitude after about 46 to 47 years," Katiyar added.
The impact of continuous western disturbances has been visible across, with widespread rainfall and snowfall reported, particularly in higher altitude regions. Over the past few days, daytime temperatures in many parts of the state have fallen by 10 to 12 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall has also remained significantly above normal. From March 1 to April 10, the state recorded 149 mm of rainfall against a normal of 136 mm, which is about 9 per cent higher. In April alone, rainfall has been 142 per cent above normal so far, although officials clarified that it does not constitute a record-breaking event.
Snowfall in April is considered normal in higher reaches such as Lahaul, Kullu, Chamba, and Kinnaur districts. In Shimla district as well, areas like Khadarala have recorded snowfall in April in previous years, including 2014, 2016, 2020, and 2021.
In the past 24 hours, minimum temperatures in the higher reaches of the state dropped to as low as minus 1 degree Celsius, while several areas, including Shimla, recorded temperatures 4 to 5 degrees below normal.
The weather department has forecast clear conditions over the plains and mid-hill regions for the next five to seven days, with sunny weather expected to prevail. However, light rain or snowfall may occur at isolated higher altitude locations on April 11 and 12.
A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region between April 16 and 18, though its impact is expected to remain limited to higher reaches, with only light precipitation in adjoining mid-hill areas. No heavy rainfall or snowfall is anticipated.
The IMD further stated that western disturbances after April 10 are expected to be relatively weak, and overall weather conditions across most parts of the state are likely to remain stable over the next 10 to 15 days.