Shimla receives season's first snow, cold conditions intensify
Shimla and its adjoining tourist towns of Kufri and Fagu received the season's first snow on Sunday while continuing intermittent snowfall in the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti district intensified cold conditions in the adjoining valleys.
Light snowfall started in the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti and Kullu districts this evening. A thin layer of snow covered Lahaul, affecting traffic as slippery road conditions made commuting hazardous.
In several other parts of the state, including Shimla, the temperatures dipped below normal.
As per the weather department, scattered to fairly widespread precipitation is likely to occur over the next the 12 to 24 hours. In Shimla and its adjoining areas, light to moderate snowfall occurred in a few pockets. In the evening, snowflakes started falling in Shimla and Kufri.
Light to moderate rain/snowfall occurred at a few places in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur, Kangra, Shimla and Kullu districts. There’s a forecast for light precipitation at a few places in the districts of Solan, Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, Mandi and Hamirpur. Besides, light rain/snowfall is likely at isolated places over mid and high hills on December 10.
The lowest minimum temperature of minus 13.1°C was recorded at Tabo in Lahaul-Spiti, followed by Kukumseri (6.9 °C), Kalpa (-3.3°C), Reckong Peo (-1°C) and Narkanda (-0.8°C).
The mercury hovered around freezing point at many other places. Seobagh recorded a minimum temperature of 0°C, Bajaura (0.1 °C), Manali (0.2°C), Kufri (0.4°C )Solan (0.5°C), Una (1 °C) and Shimla (2.5°C).
The maximum temperature also remained below normal, with Una recording the highest at 22.8°C.
As per the weather department, minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to fall by 3°C or 4°C over the next three days. There will be dense fog over some parts of the reservoir area of the Bhakra Dam (Bilaspur) and the Balh valley (Mandi) during early morning, morning and late night hours on December 10 and 11.
The state had endured a dry spell for more than two months now. Fruit growers and farmers have been affected adversely by the prolonged dry spell.
