MeT issues alert for thunderstorm, hail, gusty winds in Himachal
Light showers took place in isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours, with Saharan recording maximum precipitation with 18.5 mm rainfall, while Shimla and Manali also saw traces of rain. The meteorological station (MeT) has issued a warning for thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds at 40-50 kmph, at isolated places in Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Shimla and Sirmaur on May 4.
It also issued an alert for thunderstorm and gusty winds at 30-40 kmph at isolated places in all ten non-tribal districts on May 3 and 5 and in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba and Kangra on May 4.
The MeT station has forecast the wet spell to last till May 8, with light to moderate rains at most places between May 3 and 5.
Most places across the state saw some rainfall on Saturday, with Dharamshala logging 6.3 mm rainfall, while Mandi received 5 mm, Sangla 2.4 mm, and Seobagh 2.2 mm.
The state received 161.2 mm average rainfall during the pre-monsoon season from March 1 to May 2 this year, against a normal of 183.3 mm, a deficit of around 12 per cent.
Barring Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba, which saw 43 per cent, 42 per cent and 12 per cent rain deficit, respectively, the remaining nine districts received excess rain ranging between 98 per cent (Solan) and 1 per cent (Kullu). Bilaspur received 83 per cent excess rain, followed by Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur at 50 per cent, Una at 43 per cent, Hamirpur at 41 per cent and Kangra at 9 per cent.
