Shimla, April 16
Himachal Pradesh is expected to witness a weaker monsoon this season, with most districts likely to receive below normal rainfall, according to the Meteorological Department.
Officials said rainfall across the majority of the state is expected to remain below normal this year. However, Lahaul and Spiti districts may receive above-normal rainfall, while other districts are likely to see either normal or below-normal monsoon conditions.
Meteorologist Shobhit Katiyar said Lahaul and Spiti is the only district where above normal rainfall is expected. He added that parts of Hamirpur, Kinnaur, and Chamba districts may receive normal rainfall, while most other regions are likely to experience below normal monsoon activity.
Katiyar further said that large-scale climatic factors, such as El Niño conditions, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, and reduced snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere, are expected to influence the monsoon this year, contributing to weaker rainfall across the country. He noted that while El Niño generally leads to reduced rainfall, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole phase towards the end of the season may support rainfall activity.
According to the Meteorological Department, rainfall over the past two decades has mostly remained normal or below normal in the state. However, exceptions include 2010 when rainfall was 10 percent above normal, and 2018 and 2023 when rainfall was 21 percent above normal each. In 2025, rainfall was recorded 39 percent above normal, which also contributed to disaster situations in Himachal Pradesh.
