Popular hill station Gangtok experienced its hottest September in over five decades, with temperatures soaring to 26.8°C on September 23, marking the highest for the month since temperature records began in 1969.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the entire month has been unusually warm, with temperatures rising 3-6 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average.
Gopinath Raha, head of IMD Gangtok, said, “This month’s mean temperature stands at 24°C, an unprecedented figure for September. Based on records from 1969 to 2024, this is now the hottest September on record for Sikkim."
Gangtok has endured 11 days this month with temperatures exceeding 25°C.
A prolonged heat spell from September 6 to 13, followed by another from September 18 to 23, saw temperatures remain consistently above 24°C.
The high temperatures have not been limited to Gangtok. Tadong, located roughly 1,500 feet downhill, reached a scorching 33.1°C on September 21, marking its highest September temperature ever.
Darjeeling, in neighbouring West Bengal, also recorded unseasonably high temperatures, with the thermometer hitting 28.2°C on the same day.
Despite the heatwave, there is hope for a slight drop in temperatures. Raha indicated that the weather might cool from September 24 onward, with rain and thunderstorms expected due to a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal.
Sikkim's monsoon season usually spans from late May to September 30, occasionally stretching into mid-October.
This year’s monsoon saw significant rainfall early on, with July receiving 18% more rain than normal and the first two months of the season recording a 66% increase.
However, rainfall has been below normal levels since July, with only a 9% increase over expected averages.
Non-monsoonal rainfall from western disturbances is becoming less predictable, as changing global patterns further complicate Sikkim’s weather.
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