Himachal Faces Severe Water Crisis After Driest January in Over Six Decades

Himachal Pradesh has just experienced one of its driest January months in over sixty years, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reporting a staggering 84% rainfall deficiency. The state received only 13.3 mm of rainfall, far below the normal average of 85.3 mm, making it the ninth lowest January rainfall since 1901. The driest January on record remains 1966, with a mere 0.3 mm of rainfall.

This severe deficit has led to drought-like conditions across the state, despite a few isolated spells of rain and snowfall. Rainfall distribution was highly uneven, with all districts recording significantly below-normal precipitation. Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Kangra, and Solan received less than 90% of their normal rainfall, while Kullu and Lahaul & Spiti recorded a 76% and 77% deficit, respectively. Even Lahaul & Spiti, which received the highest precipitation at 23.3 mm, remained far below normal. The worst-affected districts were Una and Hamirpur, with deficits reaching a staggering 95%.

Throughout January, there were only eight mild to light spells of rain and 18 spells of snowfall, primarily in isolated pockets, leaving most of the state dry. The most significant rainfall occurred on January 12, 16, and 17, with fairly widespread showers, but the rest of the month remained predominantly dry, marked by weak weather activity.

Key locations like Pandoh, Tinder, and Gohar recorded some precipitation, but these were localized and insufficient to mitigate the overall deficit. Snowfall was also below normal, with limited activity in higher altitudes. Koksar received 19.0 cm of snow on January 17, while Gondla recorded 12.0 cm on the same day. However, such sporadic snowfall events did little to compensate for the widespread lack of precipitation.

The prolonged dry spell has severely impacted agriculture, water resources, and daily life, raising concerns about water scarcity in the coming months. Above-normal daytime temperatures have worsened the situation, leading to increased evaporation and further drying of soil and air. With winter precipitation playing a crucial role in the state’s water supply, this deficit raises concerns about its long-term impact on agriculture, ecology, and water availability.

The IMD’s forecast for the first week of February offers little hope, with only light precipitation expected at isolated places on February 3, and light to moderate rain likely on February 4 and 5. The rest of the week is expected to remain dry, adding to the state’s growing water crisis.