The first snowfall of the season blanketed Shimla on Thursday, bringing delight to residents, tourists, and farmers, while moderate to heavy snowfall persisted in the high hills and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla, including the stretch between Kufri and Fagu, was adorned with a thin layer of snow, attracting crowds to the Mall Road and Ridge in the city centre, as reported by news agency PTI.
Severe hailstorms lashed Shimla on Wednesday night, followed by intermittent rains, setting the stage for the snowfall. The impact of the weather conditions has resulted in the closure of over 240 roads, including six national highways, and disruptions to 677 transformers, as reported by the state emergency operation centre.
Of the blocked roads, 165 are concentrated in the tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti. In the upper Shimla area beyond Dhalli, vehicular traffic has come to a standstill due to heavy snow in Kufri, Fagu, and Narkanda. The SP Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, assured that the roads would be cleared soon.
Intermittent snowfall has been experienced in five out of the 12 districts since Tuesday night, prompting the local Meteorological office to issue an orange warning for heavy snow and rain in Shimla, Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Lahaul and Spiti on February 1. A yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning is in place for February 3 and 4, as per the local MeT office.
Farmers and growers, who suffered crop losses due to a prolonged dry spell, are anticipated to benefit from the wet spell, proving advantageous for Rabi crops, as stated by a spokesperson from the agriculture department.
The tourism and allied industry in Shimla are optimistic about an increase in footfall, with MK Seth, president of Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association, expressing hopes for a good season in February.
Popular tourist destinations, including Narkanda, Kufri, Manali, Rohtang, and others, are also experiencing snowfall.
"The heavy snowfall has brought cheers to the tourism and allied industry and we are pinning hope for a good season in February. The footfall is likely to increase due to snowfall during the weekends in Shimla," said M K Seth, president of Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association told PTI.
Noteworthy snowfall measurements have been recorded in various areas, with Chidgaon in Shimla district receiving 75 cm, Shikari Mata 60 cm, Kothi 50 cm, and several others ranging from 25 cm to 12.2 cm.
Widespread rains were observed in several parts of the state, with Rohru being the wettest at 40 mm of rainfall. Cold wave conditions persisted in the lower hills, with Kukumseri recording the lowest temperature at minus 3.1 degrees Celsius.
As per the Meteorological forecast, three or four spells of heavy rain or snowfall are expected in Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Kinnaur, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi during this period. The state, which faced a dry January with a 99% rain deficit, is predicted to witness a wet spell until February 5. However, the snowfall is anticipated to disrupt essential services and reduce visibility.