Snow in higher reaches, mercury dips in Kullu

The 13,058-ft-high Rohtang Pass wore a white mantle as the higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts experienced snowfall on Saturday, while some rain in lower regions ended the long dry spell.

Manali town also witnessed little drizzle, cheering up the tourism stakeholders. The rain also provided relief to orchardists struggling with the dry weather for the past around four months. Though the weather was calm in the morning, strong winds drove in clouds in the afternoon, followed by rain in the evening. There was not much snowfall at Rohtang and tourists enjoyed snowflakes for some time. The mountain peaks around Manali were also covered with a thin layer of snow. The pristine view was a welcome delight for the visitors and locals alike.

The Baralacha, Shinku and Kunzum passes were also covered with snow. The Lahaul and Spiti administration has already regulated the movement of vehicles on various routes in the wake of falling temperatures and snowfall. The higher reaches are experiencing mild snowfall for over one week.

The hoteliers and those associated with adventure activities are elated and are expecting fresh snowfall will bring in more tourists to the region.