Shimla, Mar 12 (PTI) Isolated areas in the higher reaches of the Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh experienced a fresh spell of snow, while the lower hills saw intermittent rain on Thursday.
Snowfall was reported in Jispa, Darcha, and Shinkula, with Hansa recording 2.5 cm of snow. Videos of the snowfall have also been widely circulated on the internet.
Meanwhile, Bharmaur received 12 mm of rain, followed by Gondla (6.2 mm), Keylong (4 mm), Bhuntar and Dharamshala (2 mm each), Kukumseri and Kangra (1.3 mm each), Jot (1 mm), and Kalpa (0.4 mm), according to the Shimla MeT station.
The rain and snow in March have brought smiles to residents, particularly tourism stakeholders in Manali and Lahaul and Spiti, as they expect an influx of tourists to the hills following a heat wave in the plains.
The valley has experienced a drop in maximum temperatures due to the snowfall in higher areas, marking a significant change in weather in Manali and its surroundings, as well as in Lahaul and Spiti. “The chill is back in the mountains, while the plains are suffering under a scorching sun. This weather will attract tourists,” locals Ajay, Sanjay, and Ludhar Thakur noted.
In contrast, dry weather prevailed in the plains, with a severe heat wave reported in Sundernagar and Solan, and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning affecting Kangra and Jot.
The Shimla Meteorological Station has issued a yellow alert for heat wave to severe heat wave conditions in Mandi and Solan districts for Friday and Saturday.
A fresh western disturbance is expected to impact northwest India starting March 14 (Saturday), prompting the Met to issue another yellow warning for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds, with speeds of 40-50 km/h, across four districts: Chamba, Kullu, Kangra, and Mandi on Sunday and Monday.
Light rain and snow are anticipated in isolated areas of the state on March 13, 14, and 17, with light to moderate precipitation in some places on March 16 and 18, and widespread precipitation on March 15.
Although the wet spell resulted in a decrease in minimum temperatures, the change was not significant. Keylong recorded the lowest temperature at night, reaching 1.6 degrees Celsius.
However, the maximum temperature registered an appreciable fall, and Una was the hottest in the state with a high of 32.6 degrees Celsius.
From March 1 to March 12, during the pre-monsoon season, Himachal Pradesh received only 0.8 mm of rain, compared to the normal rainfall of 45.2 mm, resulting in a deficit of 98 per cent. PTI BPL MPL MPL
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