The southwest monsoon is receding in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh and likely to withdraw completely in the next two-three days.
Monsoon deficit from June 1 to September 9 was 28 per cent. It would jump to 35 per cent if there is no more rain, local MeT officials said.
Normally, the monsoon withdraws from the region in the last week of September, but this year it is advanced by two weeks. The state has received 545.5 mm of rain against normal downpour of 843.5 mm, the official said.
The monsoon was unevenly spread this year and 10 out of 12 districts received deficient rain.
While Una and Shimla received 37 per cent and two per cent excess rain, respectively, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba and Sirmaur districts recorded 81, 61, 55 and 41 per cent deficient rainfall.
The shortfall in Solan was 21 per cent, followed by Bilaspur and Mandi (16 per cent), Hamirpur (13 per cent), Kullu (10 per cent) and Kangra (eight per cent).
However, the premature withdrawal of monsoon would not have much impact on crops, barring paddy and maize, in rain-fed areas in the lower hills.
The region had no rain during past one week and the local MeT office has predicted dry weather for the next seven days, signalling complete withdrawal.
The maximum day temperature has rose marginally, but minimum temperature in tribal areas and higher hills dropped sharply. Keylong, Manali and Kalpa recorded a low of 7, 7.8, and 8.0 degrees Celsius, respectively, three to four notches below normal, the MeT officials said.
