Monsoon withdraws from Himachal with 7 per cent rain deficit

The south-west monsoon withdrew from entire Himachal Pradesh, leaving the state with a rain deficit of seven per cent.
However, the scenario this year remained comparatively better against last year's rain deficit of 16 per cent, it said.
Monsoon also withdrew from the adjoining states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and some parts of Haryana and Rajasthan, the MeT department said today.
Monsoon had reached Himachal in the first week of June and against the normal rainfall of 801.2 mm, the state received 747.2 mm of showers from June 1 to September 19, a deficit of seven per cent.
Four districts of Kangra (1,886 mm), Kinnaur (394.9), Kullu (610.4) and Una (1,162 mm) received 23 per cent, 66 per cent, 24 per cent and 43 per cent excess rainfall.

Six districts of Bilasur (812.2 mm), Hamirpur (1086.6 mm), Mandi (1160.1 mm), Shimla (546 mm), Sirmaur (1360.2 mm) and Solan (776.5 mm) received normal rainfall during the season.

Tribal Lahaul and Spiti district received lowest rainfall of 112.1 mm, which was 73 per cent less than normal, followed by Chamba which received 42 per cent less rains at 778.8 mm.
The monsoon had withdrawn from the state on September 25-26 last year and the cumulative rainfall from June 1 to September 30 then was 16 per cnt less than normal at 705 mm.
During this monsoon season, June was the wettest with 241 mm rainfall, which was 143 per cent more than the normal while the state received minimum rainfall during September.

Dharamsala recorded highest rainfall of 3075.8 mm, 56 per cent more than normal, but below the highest ever rainfall of 4153 mm, which was recorded in 1958.
Shimla recorded 845.4 mm of rains, deficient by 16 per cent.
Meanwhile, weather remained dry in the region with a marginal rise in maximum and minimum temperatures, which remained close to normal.
Minimum temperatures dipped to 6.5 degrees in Keylong and 8.2 degrees Celsius in Kalpa, followed by Manali 9.4 degrees, Bhuntar 13.2, Solan 14.7, Sundernagar 15.5 and Shimla 17 degrees Celsius.