Pallavi Sharma
Shimla:
Light snowfall in Himachal Pradesh’s higher reaches has intensified cold conditions across several districts, with Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti once again experiencing a sharp cold wave. A noticeable drop in night temperatures has left residents grappling with severe chill, particularly in tribal and high-altitude areas where sub-zero conditions have been recorded.
According to meteorological data, Kukumseri and Tabo reported minimum temperatures below freezing point, reflecting the harsh winter conditions prevailing in the region. In contrast, Shimla witnessed an unusually warm night, with the minimum temperature settling at 12.2°C, the highest in the state.
Weather records indicate that a comparable temperature was last recorded in December 1991, when Shimla’s night temperature touched 13.8°C. On Friday, the capital city experienced sunshine interspersed with light cloud cover.
Rain, snowfall likely to bring relief to farmers
The Meteorological Centre, Shimla, has issued a forecast of widespread rain and snowfall over the next two days, raising hopes among farmers and orchardists who have been battling prolonged dry conditions.
Lack of precipitation over the past several weeks has adversely affected crops across the state. In the plains and lower hill regions, persistent fog has damaged vegetable and onion crops, adding to farmers’ concerns.
Temperatures vary widely across districts
Night temperatures showed sharp contrasts across Himachal. While sub-zero readings were recorded in Kukumseri (-4.1°C) and Tabo (-2.3°C), several mid-hill and lower regions reported relatively milder conditions. Manali recorded a minimum of 4.6°C, Kalpa 3.4°C, Sundernagar 2.7°C and Bhuntar 3.5°C. Dharamshala settled at 8.8°C, while Mandi and Kangra recorded 6.2°C and 5.7°C respectively. Warmer nights were observed in Kasauli (11.7°C), Kufri (10.3°C) and Jubbarhatti (9.2°C).
The weather department stated that minimum temperatures in lower, mid-hill and plain areas are unlikely to change significantly over the next 48 hours. However, in higher mountainous regions, night temperatures may drop by 2-4°C after the next 24 hours. A gradual fall of 3-6°C in minimum temperatures is expected across the state over the next two to three days. Maximum temperatures are also likely to dip by 3-7°C over the coming days.
Western disturbance to trigger precipitation
The active western disturbance is expected to bring rain and snowfall to mid and high-altitude areas on December 20 and 21. Districts likely to be affected include Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. Meanwhile, dense fog has disrupted daily life in Bilaspur, Sirmaur and parts of Mandi district, particularly in areas close to reservoirs. Reduced visibility during morning and evening hours has slowed traffic, with vehicles moving at a crawl on several stretches.
A yellow alert for fog has been issued for reservoir-adjacent districts on December 19 and 20. Weather conditions are expected to improve thereafter, with clear skies likely across the state from December 22 to 25.
Day temperatures dip amid cloud cover
Cloudy conditions on Thursday led to a noticeable fall in daytime temperatures across much of the state, with some areas recording a drop of up to five degrees. Shimla recorded a maximum temperature of 20.2°C, Dharamshala 20.0°C and Una 20.2°C.
Solan registered 21.0°C, while Mandi and Bilaspur recorded 18.6°C and 17.8°C, respectively. Hamirpur recorded a daytime high of 20.4°C, indicating cooler conditions compared to earlier in the week.
