Warmer Days Ahead for Himachal After Chilly Start to Summer

After days of unseasonal chill and persistent rain, Himachal Pradesh is finally set to get a brief taste of warmer summer weather. According to forecasts, temperatures across the state are expected to rise from May 7, bringing some relief to residents who have been experiencing unusually cold days for this time of year.

Over the past several days, continuous rainfall, along with hailstorms and thunderstorms, pushed temperatures down by several degrees, making May feel more like early spring. However, the state Meteorological Department has indicated that only light rain may occur at isolated places in the middle and higher hill regions on May 7. From May 8 onward, weather conditions are expected to remain largely dry across the state.

With clearer skies, temperatures are likely to climb steadily. Minimum temperatures are expected to increase gradually by 2–4°C, while maximum temperatures could rise more sharply by 3–8°C over the coming days, making daytime conditions noticeably warmer. That said, this warm spell may be short-lived, as another round of rainfall is forecast to arrive around May 11.

Meanwhile, light rain continued to affect many parts of Himachal Pradesh over the last 24 hours. During this period, minimum temperatures dropped by 2–7°C, ranging between 1°C and 19°C across the state. Maximum temperatures also fell by 3–6°C and hovered between 15°C and 33°C.

Several popular towns recorded cool daytime temperatures. Shimla saw a maximum of 21.1°C, Manali 17.8°C, Kalpa 17.7°C, Kufri 14°C, and Keylong 14.2°C. Other places reported relatively milder conditions, with Dharamsala at 25°C, Kangra at 29°C, Mandi and Bhuntar at 28.6°C, Solan at 26°C, Sundernagar at 30°C, and Nahan at 28°C.

Una emerged as the hottest location in the state with a maximum temperature of 33°C, while Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti district remained the coldest, recording a minimum temperature of just 0.8°C.

As Himachal transitions briefly into warmer conditions, residents may want to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, keeping an eye on forecasts as another wet spell looms later in the week.