GANGTOK,: Gangtok on September 23 recorded a temperature of 26.8 degree Celsius, which is the highest in the month of September since 1998 when the hill station recorded 27.1 degree Celsius. But over the month, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in Gangtok confirmed this is hottest September since 1969, the time when IMD started recording temperature in the State.
IMD Gangtok head Gopinath Raha informed that throughout the month and especially in the last week, daily temperatures have risen by 3-6 degree Celsius than normally observed in September.
"We have data since 1969 with us, if we compare till 2024 then yes this is the hottest September in recorded history of the State. The mean temperature throughout this month is 24 degree Celsius, which was never seen in September", shared the IMD Gangtok head.
There have been 11 days when the temperature in the State capital has crossed 25 degree Celsius in September with September 6 to 13 continuously recording temperatures in excess of 24 degree Celsius. From September 18 to 23, Gangtok’s temperature has exceeded 24 degree Celsius.
Tadong in Gangtok further downhill by 1500 feet recorded 33.1 degree Celsius on September 21 which again is its highest in September. Not just in Gangtok but across the State the temperature has risen. Similar hot days were recorded across the neighbouring Darjeeling hills with Darjeeling town recording 28.2 degree Celsius on September 21, informed the IMD Head in Gangtok.
However, there will be some relief from September 24 with drop in temperatures by a few degrees with possible rain and thunderstorm in some places following cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal.
Monsoon in Sikkim begins around late May and carries on till September 30, sometime withdrawing by mid-October.
Sikkim gets non monsoonal rainfall due to Western Disturbances in the dry season. However even the western disturbance is now changing course to even northern part of the hemisphere.