The maximum temperatures plummeted across Himachal today as the state was hit by thunderstorm accompanied by moderate rain.
The Director of local MeT office Manmohan Singh said that these is not pre-monsoon rain as monsoons reaches the state towards the end of June, preceded by pre-monsoon showers a week before.
The rain is considered beneficial for apple crop as it would improve the size and colour of apple in lower areas but the horticulturists in mid and lower hills are a worried lot as the local MeT office has predicted thunderstorm accompanied with hail/squall at isolated places.
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The maximum temperature at Una, which was hottest in the region yesterday, dropped from 40.2 degrees to 35.4 degrees while Nahan recorded a high of 35 degrees, followed by Sundernagar and Kangra 32.2 degrees, Bhuntar 31.6 degrees, Solan 31 degrees, Shimla 24.3 degrees, Manali 23 degrees and Kalpa 22.8 degrees Celsius.
The state capital Shimla, which received 8 mm of rain, experienced a severe storm last night and brought relief from heat as mercury dropped from 29.1 degrees to 24.3 degrees.
Dalhousie received 19 mm of rain followed by Shimla 8 mm, Chail 7 mm, Solan 5 mm, Una 4 mm, Sundernagar 3 mm, and Jhanjheli 2 mm.
However, there was no appreciable change in minimum temperatures and Kalpa was the coldest at night with 8.8 degrees, Keylong and Manali 9.4 degrees each, Bhuntar 14.5 degrees while the key tourist resorts of Dalhousie, Shimla and Dharamshala recorded a low of 16. 7 degrees, 17.8 degrees and 18.6 degrees respectively followed by Solan 18.8 degrees, Una 19 degrees, Sundernagar 19.1 degrees, Bilaspur 19.7 degrees, Hamirpur 20.7 and Nahan 25.2 degrees Celsius.
