Shimla Welcomes Season’s First Snow, Valleys In Himachal Reel Under Severe Cold

Shimla and the adjoining tourist resort towns of Kufri and Fagu received the season's first snow on Sunday while continuing intermittent snowfall in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh's tribal Lahaul and Spiti district intensified cold conditions in the adjoining valleys.

A thin layer of snow covered Lahaul, affecting traffic as slippery road conditions made commuting hazardous. High-mountain passes and other high-altitude tribal areas also received fresh snowfall. The Met station has predicted more snow and rain at isolated places in the state.

The minimum temperature dropped by a few degrees across the state and the high-altitude tribal areas reeled from the piercing cold. Tabo recorded a low of minus 13.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Kukumseri at minus 6.9 degrees, Kalpa minus 3.3 degrees, Reckong Peo minus 1 degree and Narkanda minus 0.8 degree.

The mercury hovered around freezing point at many other places. Seobagh recorded a minimum temperature of zero degree Celsius, Bajaura 0.1 degree, Manali 0.2 degree, Kufri 0.4 degree, Solan 0.5 degree, Una 1 degree and Shimla 2.5 degrees.

The maximum temperature also remained below normal, with Una recording the highest at 22.8 degrees Celsius.

The Met office has predicted rain and moderate snow at a few places over the Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur, Kangra, Shimla and the Kullu districts and light precipitation in some places of the Solan, Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, Mandi and the Hamirpur districts till Monday.

Light rain and snowfall are likely at isolated places over the mid and high hills on Tuesday.

The minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to gradually fall by 3 to 4 degrees over many parts of the state during the subsequent three days.

The Met office has issued a 'yellow' warning for dense fog over some parts of the Bhakra dam reservoir area in Bilaspur and Balh Valley in Mandi till Wednesday.