Mild snow in Dhauladhars, rain usher in winter-like conditions

A spell of mild snowfall on the Dhauladhar ranges and overnight rainfall in parts of Kangra and Chamba districts have resulted in dip in temperatures across several hill towns of Himachal Pradesh, ushering in early winter-like conditions.

Dharamsala, McLeodganj, Kangra, Palampur, Dalhousie, Chamba and Bharmour witnessed a significant change in weather with chill replacing the warm sunshine of the past few days.

According to the Meteorological Department, Dharamsala and its twin town McLeodganj recorded 25.5 mm of rainfall during the night, while Palampur received 10.2 mm, Kangra 18.4 mm and Chamba 4 mm.

The minimum temperature dropped notably, settling at 16.5°C in Dharamsala, 9.8°C in McLeodganj, 11.5°C in Palampur, 15.3°C in Kangra, 16.8°C in Chamba, 8.6°C in Dalhousie and 13°C in Bharmour.

Intermittent showers continued through the morning in several parts of the region, leading to the formation of dense fog that blanketed the upper reaches of the mountains. The Dhauladhar ranges, capped with a fresh layer of snow, presented a spectacular view, drawing tourists and photographers alike.

The change in weather has brought relief to residents and visitors in Dharamsala, where unseasonably warm and humid conditions had prevailed in the recent days. Locals described the sudden cold as a “welcome sign” of the approaching winter season, while tourism operators expect a rise in weekend tourist inflow following the scenic snowfall on the high reaches of Dhauladhar mountain ranges.

Meanwhile, damage has been reported to the paddy crop harvested by small and marginal farmers. Since harvesting is largely done manually in the villages of Kangra district, heaps of cut paddy left in the open were drenched by rainwater. As a result, the moisture content in the grains has increased significantly. Farmers, lacking proper storage facilities, are unable to protect their produce. Another spell of rainfall, as forecast by the Meteorological Department in the coming days, may further aggravate the losses.