Tourists flock to Himachal to escape heat, but hill stations offer little respite amid rising temperatures

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 30 (ANI): Like the rest of India, battling an intensifying heatwave, the usually cooler hill regions of Himachal Pradesh are also witnessing an unusual spike in temperatures. Although areas like Manali, Shimla, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur are still classified as hill regions with "normal" temperatures, they are now running 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions persist across the plains of Himachal, particularly in districts such as Una and the Bhuntar region of Kullu. In these areas, temperatures have been 5 degrees Celsius above normal for the past four days.
Senior IMD scientist Shobhit Katiyar, based at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla, speaking with ANI on Tuesday, said that the temperatures are above normal and are expected to return to normal after May 2.
"In the last 24 hours, temperatures have remained dry and significantly high across Himachal Pradesh. Daytime temperatures are 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal, and in some areas, even 5 degrees higher than the average. These include the Una district and the Bhuntar region near Kullu. These regions have experienced persistent heatwave conditions for the past four days, " said Shobhit Kariyar.
Despite being a sought-after summer escape, Shimla hasn't remained immune to this heat surge. Daytime temperatures in Shimla have now reached around 27 degrees Celsius, which is 3 degrees higher than usual. Katihar noted that these elevated temperatures are expected to continue for the next two days.
"The weather will remain mostly sunny, and there's no major dip expected in temperatures until May 2. Una and Bhuntar, in particular, are under a yellow alert for heatwave conditions for the next two days," he added.
Relief is on the horizon, however. A weak Western Disturbance is expected to impact Himachal Pradesh from the evening of May 1, which is likely to result in a temperature drop of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius across most regions. Light rainfall is also forecast, which could help moderate the unseasonably warm temperatures.
"The last Western Disturbance impacted the region on April 20 and 21," said Katiyar.
"Since April 22, temperatures have been rising steadily. The incoming system from May 1 evening will affect almost the entire state and is likely to bring a combination of rainfall and cooling, lasting for about four to five days," he said.
The IMD predicts that after May 2, temperatures will stabilise to near-normal levels and are not expected to rise again until around May 7, when another heat spike might occur.
As Himachal experiences this unexpected heat, tourists escaping the scorching plains have found little relief in the hills. Many expressed disappointment as the cool retreat they had envisioned felt more like a continuation of the heat back home.
Chandan Singh, a tourist from Delhi, shared his experience.
"We expected Shimla to be much cooler. Instead, it feels warm. It doesn't feel like we're in a hill station at all. The kind of temperature we were hoping for, something between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, is not here. It has crossed 25°C. The heat here is more than we expected."
"The environmental changes that people keep talking about, and the global warming we read about, are now clearly visible in the mountains as well," he added.
According to the IMD, Una recorded the highest temperature in the state in the past 24 hours at 41.6°C, making it the hottest location in Himachal Pradesh. This temperature spike underscores the changing climate patterns even in regions traditionally known for their cool weather. (ANI)