Himachal Witnesses Snowfall with Orange Alert for Storms

Higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh experienced snowfall over the weekend as the Shimla Meteorological Office issued an orange alert for hailstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in several districts on April 7 and 8.An orange alert signals potentially disruptive weather and calls for preparedness.

Since Saturday evening, significant snowfall was recorded in Lahaul and Spiti district , with Gondla receiving 28.2 cm , Keylong 20 cm , Hansa 5 cm , and Kukumseri 1.3 cm . Meanwhile, parts of the state saw intermittent light to moderate rainfall , including Sarahan (23.5 mm) , Dharamshala and Sundernagar (18.2 mm each) , Manali (18 mm) , Mandi (16.2 mm) , and Shimla (13.4 mm) . Other areas such as Kukumseri, Kalpa, Jubbarhatti, Palampur, and Kasauli recorded 10–13 mm of rain.

Shimla witnessed a sudden hailstorm on Saturday night, covering the city with a thin layer of sleet within minutes, while Sundernagar also reported hail. Thunderstorms and lightning occurred in Shimla, Sundernagar, Jubberhatti, Bhuntar, Kangra, Murari Devi, and Jot. Shallow fog was observed in Sundernagar, and gusty winds of 35–48 kmph were recorded in Tabo, Neri, and Seobagh.

The orange alert covers Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts , warning of hailstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, and winds of 40–60 kmph. A fresh western disturbance is expected to affect northwest India from Wednesday, with a wet spell predicted across the state till April 11 .

Night temperatures were lowest in Tabo (0.2°C) , while Una recorded the highest daytime temperature at 34°C . During the pre-monsoon period (March 1–April 5) , Himachal Pradesh received 115.4 mm of rainfall , slightly below the normal 123.5 mm , showing a 7% deficit .