GANGTOK, :
Winter season in Sikkim is set to be extended till March 15due to the current
wet spell. After March 15, the day temperatures will rise. In the current wet
spell there will be thunderstorms and lightning, with light to moderate
rainfall. The higher reaches of North and East Sikkim will also receive
snowfall in the next few days. The cloudy condition will lower the day
temperatures, continuing the cold spell.
The
current wet spell is attributed to the anti-cyclonic flow over Bay of Bengal,
the moisture carrying winds are flowing towards the Himalayas, informed Gopinath Raha,
Director at Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in Sikkim.
In
January-February months across the State, there was 45 percent increase in
rainfall than normally expected in the winter months. North Sikkim has seen 74
percent rise in rainfall, increasing the snowfall activities in the region. IMD
Sikkim lacks in snow gauges to record the amount of snowfall, hence a clear
data on amount of snowfall is unavailable. The snow fall in higher reaches will
continue till March 15.
Similarly,
Namchi district saw 16% increase in rainfall, Gangtok saw 8% increase, Pakyong
saw 9% increase in rainfall. Only west districts of Soreng and Geyzing received
lesser rainfall.
Compared
to last year, Gangtok's temperature in February this year was 17.8 degree
Celsius as against 17.4 degree Celsius last year. The night temperatures also
saw minimal changes of 9.7 degree Celsius this year compared to 9.4 degree
Celsius last year. The lowest temperature this year in Gangtok was 5.5 degree
Celsius on February 16, as per the IMD.
