Shimla: The first nine days of the current month were the coldest and wettest since 1987 in the history of Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Meteorological Department claimed in a special weather analysis released here on Tuesday.

The minimum temperature of Dharmshala and Keylong was the coldest ever.

The minimum temperature at Dharamshala, the abode of Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Kangra district, and headquarter of Lahaul Spiti district - Keylong - have broken all past records.

The IMD said that the minimum temperature of Dharamshala on May 1 and May 8 was 8.4 degrees. The previous coldest day was on May 6, 2009, when the minimum temperature of the town was recorded at 8.7 degrees.

Similarly, Keylong on Tuesday recorded its coldest-ever temperature at -2.6 degrees, thereby breaking its previous record of -1.6 degrees, registered on May 2, 2019.

Himachal Pradesh has recently witnessed markedly below normal maximum and minimum temperature and such range of temperature was previously recorded in the year 1987, the IMD release claimed.

The IMD attributed the sudden decline of mercury in the month of May 2023 to frequent western disturbances in the early summer season.

 The state witnessed fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, hail and gusty winds in mid-hills, plain and low hills of the state whereas there was snowfall in the districts of Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur. 

Thus, the rains and snowfall also caused the Mercury to plummet drastically.

(With UNI inputs)