Shimla:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for thunderstorms and hailstorms from May 5 to 8 and a yellow alert for rain across Himachal Pradesh for the entire week until May 11.
The state is expected to witness light to moderate rainfall throughout the week, with strong winds reaching up to 60 km per hour and a potential drop of 2-3°C in minimum temperatures over the next few days.
The weather disturbance has already caused widespread damage in parts of the state, with a cloudburst in Chamba district’s Cheli village on Saturday night claiming the life of a 65-year-old man and sweeping away around 150 sheep and goats in the Dondra stream.
In Kullu, nine hours of continuous rainfall caused severe waterlogging, while hailstorms have damaged wheat crops and fruit-bearing trees.
Alert for gusty winds in several districts
According to the IMD-Shimla, multiple districts are likely to experience gusty winds ranging from 40 to 50 km per hour, with some gusts potentially reaching 60 km per hour, particularly during the thunderstorm window through May 9.
While light to moderate rain is expected across most areas throughout the week, heavier spells may be accompanied by hail in several locations.
Orange and yellow alerts have been issued as precautionary measures, urging residents and tourists to stay indoors during storm periods and avoid travel to vulnerable hilly terrain.
Rainfall, and Temperature Overview
In the past 24 hours, Kahu received the highest rainfall at 74.1 mm, followed by Kandaghat with 56.2 mm, Malraun 45 mm, Shri Naina Devi 38.6 mm, Jot 36 mm, Kasauli 21 mm and Shimla 19.2 mm. Dharampur received 18.2 mm, Kufri 16 mm, Gohar and Chamba 12 mm each and Dehra Gopipur 11.3 mm.
Temperature-wise, minimum temperatures dropped across the state, with Kalpa recording 6.6°C, Kufri 8.4°C, Manali 10.9°C and Shimla 10.5°C.
Keylong was the coldest at 4.1°C while Paonta Sahib registered the highest minimum at 25°C. Other key figures include Dharamshala (12.6°C), Mandi (17.9°C), Bilaspur and Hamirpur (17.7°C each), and Chamba (14.4°C).
TNR News Network
