A fresh western disturbance has been active in the state since Tuesday, bringing a change in the weather in the high altitude areas. Fresh snowfall has been recorded in the state’s high peaks, Rohtang, Shinkula Pass, and Chandraghati, leading to the possibility of snowfall in many parts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the Meteorological Center, Shimla, light to moderate snowfall and rain are expected in many parts of the state on December 31st and January 1st, while light snowfall and rain are expected in some places on January 2nd and 5th.
The Meteorological Department’s forecast suggests that the wait for snowfall in the state is about to end. According to the Meteorological Center, Shimla, a western disturbance has been active in the state since Tuesday, which is expected to completely change the weather in the coming days. This forecast has raised hopes of snowfall in the New Year. So far, not a single flake of snow has fallen in the tourist destination of Shimla in December, making it the fourth consecutive year that Shimla has not seen any snowfall in December. This has left tourists yearning to witness the season’s first snowfall.
On Tuesday, however, the nights in the snow-starved hill station of Shimla became warmer than the plains, with the minimum temperature rising to 10 degrees Celsius, 6 degrees above normal. Temperature data shows that the cold is affecting the entire state, but Shimla has recorded an unexpected increase in night temperatures. Shimla’s minimum temperature was 10 degrees Celsius, about one degree above normal, a rise of 1.4 degrees in the last 24 hours.
In contrast, the minimum temperature in Kukumseri, in the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, was recorded at minus 5 degrees Celsius, and in Tabo at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, while Kukumseri remained the coldest place in the state. Kalpa in Kinnaur recorded a low of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, Manali 3.3, Narkanda 3.9, Reckong Peo 1.5, and Sarahan 5.1. In the lower and plain districts of the state, the minimum temperature was 2.9 degrees Celsius in Sundernagar, 2.6 degrees Celsius in Solan, 4.3 degrees Celsius in Mandi, 5.2 degrees Celsius in Hamirpur, 6.2 degrees Celsius in Kangra, 6.6 degrees Celsius in Una, 7.0 degrees Celsius in Bilaspur, and 8.9 degrees Celsius in Nahan. Significantly, nights in Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Una are colder than in Shimla these days, reflecting the unusual weather patterns.
Fog persists in the lower regions of the state, and on Tuesday, visibility dropped to 50 meters in Bilaspur and 70 meters in Mandi. This morning, most areas of the state remained cloudy, with fog in the plains and poor weather in the tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. While Shimla experienced a patch of sunshine amidst the clouds, weather experts say that while snowfall and rain due to the western disturbance are expected to bring relief to farmers and gardeners, cold waves, fog, and intense cold may exacerbate the hardships of the people. However, tourists continue to flock to tourist destinations, and the Meteorological Department has advised people to remain vigilant and monitor the latest weather information while traveling in the hilly areas, especially during the New Year. Himachal Pradesh is expected to begin the New Year with intense cold and possible snowfall.
