Yellow alert issued for four districts as western disturbance becomes active
Pallavi Sharma
Dharamshala: The weather in Himachal Pradesh is set to change from Tuesday (October 21, 2025) as a fresh western disturbance becomes active over the region.
The Meteorological Department has predicted snowfall in higher reaches and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds in several lower areas over the next three days.
While Diwali festivities on Monday were celebrated under clear and pleasant skies across the state, the approaching system is expected to bring a dip in temperature from tonight onwards. The Met office has issued a yellow alert for Chamba, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts, warning of thunderstorm activity and strong winds.
Snow likely in Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, high-altitude Chamba
The weather department has forecast light to moderate snowfall in the higher reaches of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba during the next 72 hours. Mid-hill areas like Kullu, Mandi and parts of Shimla are expected to remain largely dry, while plains and foothill regions could experience light rain or isolated thunderstorms.
“The western disturbance will primarily affect high-altitude zones. However, a few lower areas may also receive brief spells of rain and thunder during evening hours,” a Met official said.
Temperature to dip after Diwali warmth
After several days of above-normal temperatures, the coming spell is expected to pull mercury levels down. As per the data, Himachal’s average maximum temperature is currently 1.1°C above normal, while the minimum temperature remains 0.3°C higher than usual.
With snow and rain likely in the coming days, both maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to fall sharply. At present, Kukumseri in Lahaul-Spiti recorded the state’s lowest temperature at 1.2°C, while Una was the warmest at 33.4°C.
Interestingly, nights in popular hill stations such as Dharamshala, Manali, Palampur, Una, Hamirpur and Solan have been colder than in the state capital. Shimla’s minimum temperature remains 2.3°C above the normal range, while most other towns have recorded below-normal night temperatures.
Meteorologists said that the upcoming change in weather could finally bring chillier nights to the capital and other tourist destinations. “By midweek, cold winds from higher hills are expected to sweep across the mid and lower regions, giving residents the first real feel of winter,” the Met official added.
