Himachal Pradesh sees widespread snowfall, thunderstorms; temps drop

Widespread weather hit Himachal Pradesh, with snowfall in higher-altitude districts like Lahaul-Spiti and thunderstorms in lower areas. The IMD reported a noticeable drop in temperatures, with the weather expected to gradually improve from October 16.

Widespread weather activity swept North Indian hill state Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, bringing snowfall to higher-altitude areas of several districts, including Chamba, Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu and Kinnaur, while thunderstorms were reported in parts of Mandi, Sundernagar and Bilaspur.

Snowfall was reported from Keylong and Koksar in Lahaul-Spiti, with approximately 2 cm and 5 cm of fresh snow, respectively. Snowfall was also reported in higher reaches of other districts, while the Bhuntar airport area witnessed snowfall activity.

IMD on Weather Impact and Temperature Drop

Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Himachal Pradesh, said weather activity had intensified across the state since early morning, affecting both higher and lower areas. He said the active weather conditions had led to a noticeable drop in temperatures, particularly in higher-altitude districts.

Maximum temperatures recorded across the state during the past 24 hours varied considerably, with Una registering around 33.5 degrees Celsius, while temperatures remained much lower in the higher reaches.

Weather Forecast and Outlook

According to Sharma, the weather is likely to remain active until the evening, after which precipitation activity is expected to gradually subside. From October 16, a reduction in weather activity is anticipated across Himachal Pradesh. However, isolated areas of Chamba, Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu may continue to receive light precipitation, with snowfall possible in higher-altitude areas.

Weather conditions are expected to improve further, with largely clear skies likely to return across most parts of the state from around October 18. The forecast indicates a gradual transition from the current spell of widespread weather activity to relatively stable conditions over the next few days, although isolated precipitation may persist in some higher reaches.

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