Thaindian News

Shimla, July 3 (IANS) The Queen of Hills, as Shimla was fondly called by the British, recorded the second warmest July of the past 21 years, a Met official said here Tuesday, blaming the unusually high temperatures on lack of showers.

Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office, told IANS that the average temperature of the town in this month in the previous years was 22.9 degrees Celsius.

“The maximum temperature July 1 this year was 27.6 degrees Celsius. This was the highest maximum temperature the town experienced in the past 21 years,” he said, adding: “On July 3, 1991, the mercury had touched a high of 27.8 degrees Celsius, the highest so far.”

The town saw a high of 26.1 degrees Celsius Tuesday, a fall from Monday’s 26.4 degrees.

Singh said lack of showers in the past one month was mainly responsible for the high temperatures.

“From June 1 to July 2, the state has received 75 percent less rainfall. Even the arrival of the monsoon is delayed by over a week,” he added.

The monsoon normally hits the state by June 27.

Last year, it reached here by June 24, but rainfall during the season was eight percent deficient.

“Generally four days before and after the exact date of normal arrival (of monsoon) are treated as its normal arrival. But this time it is much delayed,” Singh added.

Though delayed in 2010, the monsoon in the state was plentiful. It reached the state July 5 but brought 16 percent more rainfall than normal, compared to a 36 percent deficit in 2009.

Farmers in the hill state are desperately awaiting the monsoon rains as over 80 percent of farm area in the state is dependent on rains.