Himachal Pradesh Weather to Deteriorate Again From March 9, Rain-Snow Forecast, Yellow Alert
Shimla, March 06: Easing of severe weather activity for now, with clear skies and mild sunshine in Himachal Pradesh comes to a screeching halt powered by another spell of wet weather from March 9, due to an active Western Disturbance affecting the western Himalayan region. The weather continued to be dry and pleasant in the state on Thursday, providing relief to residents and tourists in prominent hill stations, including Shimla and Manali, the Meteorological Department said. However, the minimum temperature in several districts was recorded to be up to 2-3 degrees Celsius below normal for this time of the year.
While some parts of the state witnessed moderate fog, which lowered visibility, light haze prevailed in many places despite clear weather in most regions. After Thursday’s hailstorm, no thunderstorms occurred.
The forecast will be steadily deteriorating again March 9. A Western Disturbance responsible for weather alterations in the area is expected to get active, delivering rain and snowfall in several parts of Himachal Pradesh. Light to moderate snowfall is very likely over the high-altitude areas, while rain may occur in the plains and lower areas of the state.
There is a yellow alert of the Meteorological Department for March 10, predicting thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain. The hilly areas are likely to receive snow and there will be a sharp drop in temperature, the forecast said. As a caring measure, the alert is an advance warning for the residents as well as authorities discussing the possible damages accompanied by them, like disruption of transport and daily life, especially those in hilly and tribal areas.
Calling people to remain cautious during the period of forecast, especially people residing in vulnerable areas like Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and other remote areas, the administration urged the public to follow the guidelines. As these extreme weather conditions are anticipated to affect road transport and other vital services, what remains to be seen is how the authorities as well as the general public prepare for any disruptions.
March 11-12 – Rain and Snowfall
The weather situation is expected to continue through March 10 but also has potential for rain and snow on March 11 and 12. In its statement, the Meteorological Department has predicted moderate rainfall across the plains and intermediate areas of the state and more snowfall across high-altitude areas. This may return to the intense cold especially in the districts like Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Kullu and Chamba.
With the mercury falling further, especially in tribal areas, the citizens will mostly be under the chilling grip of cold. Indeed, several places in the state were already below freezing on the minimum temperature on Thursday. Lahaul-Spiti’s Kusumseri was the coldest at minus 12.4 degrees Celsius, and Tabo and Keylong in the same district registered minus 9.1 degrees and minus 8.4 degrees Celsius, respectively. Other minimum temperatures included Kalpa in Kinnaur (−0.9°C), Manali (1.1°C), Dalhousie (1.2°C), Palampur (5°C) and Shimla (6.4°C).
Restoration Efforts Underway
Many roads in hilly and tribal areas of the state were blocked due to the recent snowfall and power supply was hit. But with the weather improving, the Public Works Department (PWD) and other agencies have stepped up the efforts to restore road connectivity and electricity services. Clearance of roads impacted by snow has been underway within the districts of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Kullu and Chamba and efforts are on to repair damaged transformers and restore power provides in these areas.
Authorities remain optimistic normality will soon return to these districts after its residents have been advised to continue to take precautions ahead of the new weather system.
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