Excited Tourists Enjoy The Ridge & Mall Road During Shimla’s Second Snowfall – WATCH

Light rain and snow are expected at isolated locations in Himachal is likely to lead to a gradual drop in the temperature.

Tourists from various parts of India who witnessed snowfall were excited.

Source : ANI

A fresh spell of snow on the ‘Queen of the Hills’ blanketed Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla. Tourists, locals and farmers were delighted to see the second light snowfall.

VIDEO | Himachal Pradesh: The city of Shimla receives second snowfall of the season. #HimachalPradesh #Shimla #Snowfall pic.twitter.com/nQ7eC8bmL6

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 23, 2024

The local meteorological department predicted rain and snow in the mid to higher reaches on December 23, 24, 27 and 28. Intense cold waves persisted across the lower hills of Himachal, with Una, Hamirpur, Chamba, and Mandi experiencing cold wave conditions, while Sundernagar faced severe cold wave conditions. Thick ground frost is expected in isolated parts of the lower hills during this period, it added.

Shallow fog was seen in Mandi and Sundernagar areas, the weather department said.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla covered in a blanket of snow, as the area receives heavy snowfall. pic.twitter.com/ev77GMWMiE

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2024

The MeT department issued an orange alert on Monday for severe cold in Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi districts till Thursday. It has also issued a yellow warning for dense fog in parts of the Bakra Dam reservoir area and the Balh Valley in Mandi, effective from Tuesday to Thursday.

Farmers were happy with the snowfall as it is considered ‘white manure’ for apples, has raised hopes for good yields among farmers in the upper Shimla region. Apple farming contributes about Rs 5,000 crore to Himachal Pradesh's economy.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh | Snowfall paints hill town Shimla white pic.twitter.com/UZNJtXOyE6

— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2024

Tourists who flocked to Shimla from various parts of India and witnessed the snowfall shared their excitement. Khyati, a tourist from Bengaluru, expressed her amazement as it was the first she had seen a snowfall.

"We were told that the snowfall would begin after we left, so we did not expect it, but it happened today. We're having so much fun enjoying it. Shimla is incredibly beautiful, and the people here are so kind. We will definitely visit again during the snowfall season," she told ANI.

As per the MeT Department, an active western disturbance is expected to impact the western Himalayan region and plains on the adjacent side on Friday. Light rain and snow are expected at isolated locations in Himachal is likely to lead to a gradual drop in the temperature.

In the higher altitudes, tribal areas and mountain passes continue to experience extreme cold as temperatures will range between 14 to 18 degrees below freezing. Several areas in the mid and higher hills cause water pipes to freeze, and natural water sources such as springs, rivulets, and tributaries of snow-fed rivers also freeze, this reduces the water discharge and impacts hydropower generation.