Himachal Pradesh Snowfall Updates: No more snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, but the restoration of the road continues due to slippery conditions
Himachal Pradesh Snowfall Updates
Shimla, 21 February: After days of widespread snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, the sky has cleared and people in many places including Upper Shimla and Manali basking in the warm sunshine. While the break from the snow has been pleasant, the state’s roads continue to play catch-up from the aftermath of the snowstorm, and work to restore them is still going on. Efforts have been made to clear the snow off the roads, but slippery roadways have produced traffic jams especially in high-altitude areas.
Road connectivity by several parts of the state has also become a challenge for the administration, which is tirelessly trying to get them restored as many roads have been closed due to the overlaping of snow. The main challenge now seems to be allowing vehicles to drive through as meltwaters slick up the roads and make them hazardous to drive.
Highway Conditions Around Shimla and Nearby Places
Shimla-Rampur National Highway has been opened at the location close to Narkanda, among other important roads to have been restored. The Shimla-Choupal main road was also cleared near Khidki, enabling a passage for cars. But road connectivity is still very limited in many places, especially in Chaupal sub-division where several roads are still closed due to heavy snowfall.
Although the Kufri-Fagu road, an important route in Shimla, has been opened now, the movement of traffic is affected due to slippery conditions. While the snow has melted in many areas, drivers are cautioned that roads are still treacherous. Movements of vehicular traffic on a number of other routes in upper Shimla are also impacted with more snow clearance work being carried out.
Government removed snow on road in Lahaul-Spiti Valley
In Lahaul-Spiti district, too, where the snowfall has been heavy also, the weather has also cleared but the problems remain. Lahaul Coordination: Snow clearance work on all main roads could be done by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to restore connectivity to Lahaul Valley. However, the snow has stopped now, though areas of Manali and nearby areas received heavy snowfall. But temperatures in these areas have fallen, leading to a continued demand for snow-clearing operations.
Lahaul Valley witnessed heavy snowfall in the last two days and though the snowfall has stopped, the cold wave is still affecting the valley. But with the snow beginning to melt, new challenges like icy conditions and slippery surfaces have been developing.
Avalanches, With Record Snowfall in Various Regions
Himachal Pradesh witness some of the heaviest snowfall in recent history, as per latest reports. Gondla experienced the most snowfall at 42 cm, 36 cm at Keylong and 24 cm at Kukumseri. Jot and Khadrala recorded 16 cm and 15 cm of snow, respectively.
Besides snowfall, many places in the state received torrential rain over the last day, especially in the plains and medium-altitude regions. The highest rainfall was recorded at 56 mm in Nagarota Bagwan, 44 mm in Ghamrur and 42 mm in Chamba. The rain and snow together have resulted in many hiccups in routine life as the administration is working day in and out to clear snow from in and out of the roads and avoid accidents.
Temperature Fall and Its Effect
This heavy snowfall has also led to a sharp fall in temperatures all over the state including in the tribal areas. Tabo recorded the lowest minimum temperature at a bone-chilling -11.2°C on Monday, while Kukumseri registered a minimum temperature of -7.2°C; -5.8°C was recorded in Keylong and -3.5°C in Kalpa During the day, the minimum temperature in lower altitude of Shimla hited minimum of 3.4 degree Celsius where as the minimum temperature in Dharamshala recorded at 4.2 Degree Celsius.
Frigid temperatures have left many roads coated with ice, creating a treacherous travel situation. The Himachal Pradesh Meteorological Department has also warned of the threat posed by slippery conditions for travellers and advised them to be extremely careful.
Weather Forecast for the Next Few Days
Moving forward, the forecast calls for clear weather across the state for a day or two. However, the Meteorological Department has predicted that the snow will return to the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh on February 22. It may pose more hurdles for the restoration of roads, especially in the Kullu, Manali and Lahaul-Spiti areas.
February 23 and 24 is expected to bring clear weather alleviating the work of those who are clearing out the roads and worrying over the snow remaining. However, another round or rains and snows are likely between the 25th and 27th of February, which may yet again lead rise to disruptions in transport and delay the snow-clearing operations.
Continued Efforts and Public Awareness
Local authorities and road maintenance teams are now having to clear the affected roads of snow to allow for safe travel between locations as the weather starts to pick up again. Public advisories from the government have urged Filipinos who are planning to travel to check road conditions before leaving, particularly in areas prone to snow and icy conditions.
For now, the biggest challenge is being patient and careful while traveling, as normalcy is slowly recovered. The administration is committed to opening all major routes as soon as it is safe to do so, and residents and tourists should stay informed and follow local authority guidance for their safety.
However, despite the snow ending, Himachal Pradesh still has to power through the adversity of regions still blocked, icy roads and snow removal. As weather conditions were clearing, authorities were hopeful that no road would take longer to be cleared, although they warned travelers on Tuesday the reopening of roads would be gradual and gradual over the coming days.
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