Fresh snow in higher reaches of Himachal, orange warning of hailstorm in Shimla and 2 districts

Himachal Pradesh has received 87.4 mm of rain so far this month, 20 per cent less than the normal 108.8 mm.

Shimla: Higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh received a fresh spell of snow on Sunday, while the middle and lower areas received intermittent rains.

The Shimla Met office on Sunday issued an orange warning of hailstorm, thunderstorm with lightning and gusty winds (speed 40-60 kmph) at isolated areas in Mandi, Kullu and Shimla districts on Monday and predicted a wet spell in the state till April 4.

Keylong received 1 cm of snow and Gondla also received traces of it. Snowfall was also witnessed at the south portal of the Atal Tunnel in the suburbs of Manali, with several videos of tourists enjoying the snow widely circulating on the internet.

Small vehicles and two-wheelers are not permitted beyond Solang barrier in Manali due to the snowfall and the local administration has urged the people to avoid travelling to higher reaches unless necessary and use 4x4 vehicles to stay safe.

Kangra with 18.5 mm of rain was the wettest in the state, followed by Solan 18.4 mm, Manali and Jot 15 mm each, Dharamshala 9.3 mm, Bharmaur 8.7 mm, Bhattiyat and Ghamroor 8.4 mm each, Bhuntar 8.2 mm, Kalpa 5.4 mm, Guler 5.2 mm, Nagrota Suriyan 4.8 mm, Aghar 4.6 mm and Shimla and Joggindernagar 4 mm each.

Thunderstorm and lightning were observed in Kangra and Jot, while gusty winds ranging between 37-39 km lashed Tabo and Seobagh. A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from April 2, the weather office added.

Tabo was coldest at night with a low of 3.1 degrees Celsius. There was an appreciable fall in the maximum temperatures and Una was the hottest during the day with a high of 28.6 degrees Celsius.

This month, Himachal Pradesh has received 87.4 mm of rain so far, 20 per cent less than the normal 108.8 mm.