Himachal Pradesh has had the coldest and driest December in the last 15 years, claims the weatherman.
“December 2009 was the coldest and the driest month in the last 15 years.This was due to the absence of the ‘western disturbance’ during this period,” said Director of the Indian meteorological department Manmohan Singh.
“Due to the absence of the western disturbance, the nights were clear and so the emissions of the long wave radiation from the earth’s surface were more at night, due to which the night temperatures were 2-3 degrees Celsius below normal during the month,” he said.
“Also the days were sunny and so the short wave radiations from the sun were more due to which the days were comparatively warm,” Singh said.
The met department has cited temperatures in the last 15 years at weather stations in the month of December at the provincial capital of Shimla, Dharamsala, Sundernagar(Mandi), Bhuntar(Kullu) and at Kalpa (in tribal Kinnaur).
“As compared to last year, Shimla has 3.5 Celsius less temperature in December and Dharamsala has 3.3 C less,” he said.
“This year Shimla had no precipitation in December,” he said.