Shimla, May 27 (IANS) The hills of Himachal Pradesh continued to sizzle Thursday with Shimla recording a maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest day the state capital has seen since 2004.

‘Temperatures across the state rose abnormally, remaining above average by two to eight degrees Celsius. Shimla recorded the season’s high of 32.4 degrees Celsius, 8.3 degrees above the average for this time of the year,’ Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office here, told IANS.

According to him, the mercury had touched a high of 31.7 degrees Celsius May 20, 2004, which was the previous high.

Meanwhile, Una town was the hottest place in the state Thursday with a maximum temperature of 44.8 degrees Celsius.

Likewise, Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded a maximum of 41.3 degrees Celsius; Bhuntar in Kullu district saw 38.6 degrees Celsius, Dharamsala in Kangra district saw 38.2 degrees Celsius and Kalpa in Kinnaur district marked a high of 25 degrees Celsius.

‘Dharamsala’s maximum temperature was the second ever highest temperature since May 31, 1988, when it recorded 38.6 degrees Celsius,’ Singh said.

The Met office has forecast rain across the state Friday.