Mild snow in Shimla, MeT predicts rain from Jan 20-22

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 18

The severe cold wave sweeping the hills of Himachal Pradesh further intensified today as higher reaches and tribal areas experienced moderate snowfall, while state capital Shimla witnessed mild snowfall accompanied by sleet, leading to a sharp dip in the mercury.

Kalpa received 24 cm of snow, followed by Gondla 8 cm, Pooh 6 cm, Khadrala 2 cm and Shimla 1 cm, while scattered rain occurred in middle and lower hills. Sundernagar was the wettest with 18 mm of rain, followed by Kheri 6 mm, Gohar and Dalhousie 4 mm, Solan and Rampur 3 mm and Rohru, Manali and Jogindernagar 2 mm.

Shimla and its surrounding areas experienced high-velocity icy winds accompanied by sleet and snow and dark convective clouds hovered over the sky, reducing visibility.

As many as 186 roads, including three national highways, in the state are still closed. A maximum of 132 roads are closed in Shimla zone, 26 in Mandi zone and 25 in Kangra zone. Around 185 machines have been pressed into service to open the roads and 86 roads were opened by Saturday night. Rain and snow during the ongoing winter season have caused loss of public property to the tune of Rs128 crore till date.

The MeT office has forecast rain and thundershowers in lower hills and rain and snow in middle and higher hills from January 20 to 22 as a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the Western Himalayan region from January 20, while the weather would remain dry tomorrow.

All roads are open in the Shimla Urban area and Shimla-Theog, Shimla-Rampur and Chopal roads have been cleared of snow. Vehicles, including HRTC buses, are plying normally now,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan.

The minimum temperatures stayed two to three degrees below normal and Keylong, Kalpa, Manali and Kufri recorded a low of minus 9.2°C, minus 4.2°C, minus 1.4°C and minus 0.5°C, respectively, while Shimla shivered at 0.2°C, followed by Palampur 2.5°C and Dharamsala 2.8°C.

The day temperatures also dropped marginally and Keylong recorded a high of minus 3.7°C, followed by Kufri 0.1°C, Dalhousie 2.5°C, Manali 6°C, Shimla 7.5°C and Dharamsala 8.8°C.

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