In Himachal Pradesh, the Meteorological Department has issued an alert of heavy rain, hailstorm and thunderstorm at some places in the state during the next 24 hours. Our Correspondent reports that there is news of rain accompanied by storm in Chamba, Kinnaur and Kullu districts of the state last night, while most of the areas are cloudy today.
The Losar village in Spiti has received around 10 cm of snow, and snowfall is continuing. The Gramphu-Losar road has been blocked and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is struggling to restore connectivity due to persistent snow and freezing temperatures.
The mercury in the Lahaul valley has dropped to minus 5 degrees Celsius, making conditions harsher for both locals and rescue teams.
Kukumseri in Lahaul receives highest rain
Kullu district experienced heavy rain and hailstorm past midnight, impacting normal life in various regions. Reports of hail have also come in from several areas, accompanied by sharp temperature drops and gusty winds.
Rainfall data from the past 24 hours shows that Kukumseri recorded the highest at 15.8 mm, followed by Bhuntar (14 mm), Seobagh (13 mm) and Keylong (8 mm). Manali and Kalpa received 6 mm rain each while Sundernagar got 4 mm.
Orange alert for April 20 in 7 districts
The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued an orange alert for April 19 in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Kullu and Shimla districts.
These areas are likely to witness heavy rain, thunderstorms and hailstorms, with wind speeds reaching 50-60 km per hour.
A yellow alert has been issued for April 20 for strong winds in several districts, including Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.
The weather shift is attributed to an active western disturbance and favourable atmospheric conditions. Light to moderate rain is expected across most parts of the state on April 19 and 20. Snowfall is also likely over high-altitude areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chambaand Kullu.
Temperature fluctuations ahead
The minimum temperature is likely to drop by 2-3°C in the next two to three days, followed by a gradual rise of 3-4°C.
The maximum temperature is expected to remain stable over the next 24 hours but may drop by 3-5°C in the following days before rising again.