Himachal weather: Apple orchardists worried as Met dept issues 3-day orange alert for hail, thunderstorms from this date
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TNR Desk
The weather in Himachal Pradesh is expected to witness a change as the Meteorological Department has issued a three-day orange alert for thunderstorms and hailstorms beginning April 13. While isolated parts in the higher reaches may experience snow, the mid hills and plains may get rain.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), two western disturbances will get active over Himachal in five days. The first got active on Wednesday, bringing light rain in isolated parts on April 10 and 11. The second and stronger western disturbance is expected to get active from April 13, leading to widespread rain across the state and snowfall in yje higher for the ensuing 72 hours. During this period, thunderstorms and hail may accompany rain in the plains, while higher altitudes in Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur could experience snowfall.
The temperature is expected to fall again due to the rain and snowfall. After the bright sunshine in the state for the last one week, there has been a rise in the temperature with the mercury in nine cities crossing 30 degrees Celsius. The temperature of most of the cities of the state has gone up by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above normal.
The weather department’s forecast has increased the worries of apple growers. These days apple flowering is going on in the state. In such a situation, rain, snowfall and hailstorm will damage the apple crops. Last year also, apples were damaged due to hailstorm and unseasonal rain. This time as well, the weather does not seem to be favourable for the apple crop. A hailstorm wreaked havoc in several parts of Shimla district on Wednesday evening, damaging apple, peas and cauliflower crops in Theog, Matiana, Narkanda and Kumarsein.
