Monday, 12 February 2024 | Vinod Chamoli | New Tehri
While the entire State experienced a deficit of snowfall and rain during the peak of winter, the change in the weather has broken past records in Tehri district this year. For the first time in 37 years, the district did not receive any rain or snow in the month of January. There has been a total of 57.8 millimetres of rain during February so far.
The lack of rain and snowfall during the month of January in Tehri district due to which wheat and other crops could not be sown in dozens of villages in the Chamba-Mussoorie fruit belt. According to the meteorological department, the lower than average rainfall during this season became evident from September last year. There was 57 millimetre rainfall in the district during September 2023, 23.5 millimetres in October, 1.3 millimetres in November and 1.2 millimetres in December. There was no rainfall in the district during January this year. The last time such a situation was experienced was in 1986. During January in 2023 there was 56.6 millimetres rain in Tehri while there was 182 millimetres in 2022, 25.9 millimetres in 2021, 166 millimetres in 2020 and 98.6 millimetres in 2019.
GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology climate scientist RK Singh said that the western disturbance was negligible this year. There was no rain in the district due to a combination of factors like climate change and the El Nino effect. A shortfall in rain may be witnessed during the coming three months, he added.
