Gangtok, Aug. 12 -- A single day's maximum temperature reading across nine towns in the Sub-Himalayan belt on 11 August 2026 has laid bare just how dramatically climate varies across short distances in this region, and it is a reminder of why Sikkim weather can mean very different things depending on altitude.

According to figures crosschecked from popular online weather forecast sources, Siliguri in the Terai plains recorded the day's hottest maximum at 35.2 degrees Celsius, more than 14 degrees warmer than Mangan in North Sikkim, which logged the coolest reading of the day at 20.9 degrees Celsius. The remaining towns fell in between, following the predictable pattern of the region's terrain: Kalimpong at 25.6 degrees, Pakyong at 26.7 d...