Shimla: Himachal Pradesh recorded its rainiest October in 20 years, receiving nearly three times its usual precipitation, according to a new report from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Shimla.
The hill state logged 68.5 mm of rainfall, a sharp rise of 173% above the long-term average of 25.1 mm, the IMD said in its monthly summary. This makes it the wettest October since 2005 and the 14th-highest total since 1901. The record for the wettest October still belongs to 1955, when the state witnessed a massive 413.5 mm of rainfall.
Among the districts, Sirmaur topped the chart with 96.9 mm of rain, closely followed by Kangra (95.4 mm) and Solan (93.7 mm). Kinnaur, on the other hand, reported the least rainfall at 37.6 mm. Bilaspur stood out with a 613% jump above normal levels, while Kinnaur saw the smallest deviation at 66%.
Most of the rain activity occurred during the first week of October, with particularly intense spells on October 7 and 8. Stations such as Naina Devi (Bilaspur) and Solan recorded extremely heavy rainfall of 132.6 mm and 119.6 mm respectively. Other areas—Wangtoo in Kinnaur (88 mm), Kheri in Chamba (79 mm), Pachhad in Sirmaur (78.2 mm), and Kasauli in Solan (68 mm)—also saw significant downpours.
While the state experienced rain on several days—normal rainfall on October 1, 3, 5, 9, 22, and 24, and vigorous activity on October 7 and 8—the remainder of the month remained largely dry, the report noted. All 12 districts recorded “large excess precipitation” compared to the historical average.
Looking ahead, the IMD forecast indicates light rain or snowfall in isolated areas on November 4, followed by a few more showers on November 5. For the rest of the week, however, dry conditions are expected to prevail across Himachal Pradesh.
The data was released by the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
