GANGTOK:
As per the Indian Meteorological Department's (IMD) convention, January and
February are typically considered winter months across India. However, in hilly
regions like Gangtok, winter begins much earlier, often by the end of October.
IMD Gangtok head Gopinath Raha confirmed
that January is traditionally the coldest month for the region. Currently,
temperatures in Gangtok are dipping to 6°C at night and 8°C during the day, a
notable decrease compared to the past few years.
While the weather is expected to remain
relatively consistent in the coming days, a significant shift is expected by
the night of January 6. According to Raha, the region will begin experiencing
rainfall, triggered by snowfall in North Sikkim. Gangtok and other parts of the
State are likely to face light to moderate rain on January 7 and 8, with
temperatures set to decrease further due to the weather changes. Snowfall in
North Sikkim over the past few days has contributed to the chill in the region.
This year, Sikkim has experienced its
lowest average temperatures since 2019, as per the IMD. The temperature
patterns are expected to continue fluctuating, influenced by western
disturbances that could bring additional snowfall and rainfall.
Gangtok also recently recorded its
longest dry spell from December 8 to 31, spanning 24 days.
Raha also noted that June 2024 was the
wettest month of the year for the region, with a 66% departure from the
long-term average rainfall. Meanwhile, the highest temperature recorded in
Gangtok was 26.8°C on both May 26 and September 23.
