The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted light rainfall in the mid hills and light snowfall in the higher hills from December 30 to January 1. This means that Himachal Pradesh is expected to experience a wet period in the mid and higher hills around New Year's.
According to the IMD, a new Western Disturbance is expected to impact northwest India starting on December 30 and cause rain or snowfall in the mid- and higher highlands between December 30 and January 1. However, it said that from December 28 to January 2, the weather in the lower plains and hills would continue to be dry.
The Himachal Pradesh hospitality sector is optimistic following the rain and snowfall forecast because New Year's Eve fell on a weekend and the additional snowfall would increase travel to locations like Shimla, Manali, Kasauli, and Chail. At 25.2 degrees Celsius, or 4.7 notches above normal, Una was the hottest site in the state, while Kalpa in the Kinnaur district recorded the highest temperature of 13.9 degrees Celsius, or 7.8 notches above normal. The maximum temperatures increased somewhat. The highest temperature ever recorded in Dharamshala was 21 degrees Celsius, whereas the greatest temperature in Shimla was 16.5.
With the exception of Bilaspur and Una, which received 47% and 34% of their typical amount of rain, respectively, Himachal Pradesh received 45.2 mm of rain during the post-monsoon season, which ran from October 1 to December 27, a 40% deviation from the normal rainfall. Rainfall shortfalls in the ten other areas ranged from 9% to 76%. The 12 districts were impacted, resulting in an 81% rain shortfall in December. While the other districts saw rain deficits ranging from 39% to 87%, Kinnaur and Sirmaur experienced deficit rains of 99% and 95%, respectively.
