Rain, Snow and Falling Temperatures Signal Early Winter Across Himachal

The changing weather has brought a sharp chill across Himachal Pradesh, with rain sweeping through several regions and fresh snowfall returning to the state’s higher reaches. Overcast skies dominated Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti on Sunday, while mountain peaks, including the Rohtang and Shinkula passes, received fresh snow, offering a clear reminder that winter is fast approaching.

The snowfall has already begun affecting travel in some remote areas. Authorities have closed the Darcha-Shinkula route for two-wheelers as a precaution, while parts of Kullu and Manali witnessed steady rainfall that pushed temperatures down and intensified the cold, especially in higher-altitude regions.

In another weather-related disruption, debris slid onto the road at Pagalnala on the Larji-Sainj route after rainfall, affecting traffic movement for several hours. Such incidents have once again highlighted the vulnerability of mountain roads during periods of changing weather and raised concerns about accessibility in landslide-prone stretches.

Rain also lashed Shimla and several other parts of the state from Sunday morning onward. Meteorological Department officials have indicated that the wet spell is likely to continue over the coming days, with snowfall expected in higher altitudes and the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning and hailstorms in some districts.

According to the weather forecast, light to moderate rain or snowfall may occur at a few places on October 12 and 13. The spell is expected to intensify on October 14 and 15, when many areas across the state could receive rainfall, while higher reaches are likely to witness additional snowfall. Isolated areas may continue to experience light rain or snow later in the week.

Although no district-specific alerts have been issued for Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, weather officials have not ruled out fresh snowfall or rain in the high-altitude regions of these districts.

The changing weather pattern is also expected to impact temperatures significantly. Minimum temperatures may dip by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours before gradually rising again in the following days. Daytime temperatures are likely to see a sharper decline, with maximum temperatures expected to fall by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius before recovering slightly later in the week.

As Himachal transitions into the winter season, residents and travellers are being advised to stay updated on weather forecasts and road conditions, particularly in higher reaches where snowfall and rain could continue to affect movement.