IMD issues alert on heavy rain and snowfall across Himachal Pradesh

The Meteorological Department on Sunday issued warning for heavy rain and snowfall in Himachal Pradesh.

The Meteorological Centre in Shimla predicted rain in the plains and lower hills till January 5 and rain, snowfall in middle and higher hills of the state till January 6.

However, the Met centre issued a 'yellow' weather warning of heavy rain, snowfall in middle and higher hills on January 4 and thunderstorm and lightning in the plains and lower hills from January 4 to 5.

Further, the Met centre issued 'orange' warning of heavy rain and snowfall in middle and higher hills on January 5.

The Met centre issues colour-coded warnings to alert the public ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause damage, widespread disruption and/or danger to life.

Yellow is the least dangerous among the weather warnings, while orange is for weather conditions that have the capacity to impact significantly.

Meanwhile, the higher reaches in the state received fresh snowfall, whereas some other parts witnessed light rain, Shimla Met Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.

Gondla experienced 21 cm snowfall, followed by Koksar 13 cm, Pooh 10 cm, Manali 9 cm, Sumdo 8 cm and Kalpa 6 cm, Singh said.

Chanchal in Shimla district received about two-feet snowfall, a police official said adding that Dodra Kawar Road was blocked at Chanshal after the fresh snowfall.

Meanwhile, Manali witnessed 11 mm rain, followed by Keylong 9 mm, Bilaspur 8 mm, Dharamshala 7 mm, Chamba 6 mm, Palampur and Kasauli 5 mm each and Shimla and Solan 3mm each.

Besides, the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state at minus 6.1 degrees Celsius, Singh said.

Kalpa in Kinnaur district and Dalhousie in Chamba recorded a low of minus 0.6 and minus 0.4 degrees Celsius respectively, he added.

The minimum temperatures in Kufri and Manali recorded at 3.1 and 3.8 degrees Celsius respectively. Shimla registered a low of 5.9 degrees Celsius, Singh added.

The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 21.6 degrees Celsius, he added.