Freezing Temperatures Grip Capital Town, Shimla
The minimum temperature in the capital town plummeted to freezing point, hitting a sharp zero degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, reports the Shimla Met. Office. This reading was 3.7 degrees below the normal average.
Other popular tourist destinations such as Manali and Dalhousie experienced slightly warmer temperatures at 1.8 and 1.2 degrees Celsius respectively. However, Keylong and Kaza retained their titles as the coldest places, recording temperatures of minus 15 and 18 degrees Celsius, with Kukamseri not far behind at minus 12.8 degrees.
In Kinnaur, Kalpa saw 4.3 centimeters of snowfall, accompanied by a record low temperature of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Kufri received a trace of snow, with Narkanda registering minus 3.8 degrees Celsius and Kufri minus 2.2.
The district of Kinnaur experienced varying levels of snowfall, with Nichar receiving 10 cm, Sangla 2.8 cm, and Pooh 0.6 cm. Temperatures in these areas dropped to as low as minus five to six degrees Celsius.
While the majority of places remained dry, minimum temperatures remained below six degrees Celsius across Solan, Jubberhati, Bhuntar airport, Una, Mandi, Bilaspur, Kangra, Dharmshala, and Chamba.
Bhavnagar in Kinnaur recorded 3.8 mm of rainfall, with light clouds hovering across the state. The forecast predicts light snowfall in Lahual-Spiti and Kinnaur, and light rainfall in isolated areas of Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, and Shimla districts.
The Met office anticipates mainly dry weather until Sunday, with the possibility of rain, snowfall, thunderstorms, and lightning in some areas from Monday onwards.
Currently, a total of 336 roads and four national highways in the state are snowbound, with Lahaul Spiti, Chamba, and Kullu districts being the most affected. Additionally, 110 power transmission lines and ten water supply schemes are disrupted due to inclement weather, primarily in Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts.
Despite the challenging conditions, tourist resorts like Kufri and Narkanda continue to attract heavy footfall as recent snowfall enhances the scenic landscapes.
