Shimla, Jan 2 (UNI) A prolonged dry spell prevailing over Himachal Pradesh witnessed limited relief after the season’s first significant snowfall over higher reaches, even as severe cold wave conditions intensified, pushing minimum temperatures to minus six degrees, the lowest recorded so far this winter.
During the past 24 hours, light snowfall was reported in the high-altitude regions of, including Koksar, Sissu, Rohtang, Darcha, Shinkula Darra, Baralacha La and the Atal Tunnel area.
In district, snowfall was recorded at Jot and Mani Mahesh. Tourists waiting for snowfall at Kufri and Narkanda in Shimla district got traces of snow in Solang Nallah.
Meanwhile, light rainfall was reported over lower hill and plain districts, with Una recording 2.2 millimetres and Hamirpur’s Neri station receiving 2.5 millimetres. Meteorologists said the weak western disturbance led to localized precipitation, insufficient to offset the large seasonal rainfall deficit but enough to trigger a sharp drop in temperatures.
Following the snowfall and light rain, both maximum and minimum temperatures declined significantly, resulting in pronounced diurnal temperature variation across the state. The Meteorological Centre, Shimla, has issued a cold wave warning for the next 72 hours for Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Kangra districts, advising residents to take precautionary measures.
The cold conditions brought mixed outcomes. The hospitality and tourism sector, which had suffered a prolonged setback due to dry weather and absence of snow during most of December, saw a sudden revival of tourist interest around the New Year.
High snow points in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti attracted large numbers of visitors, and tourists reaching Koksar on the northern side of the Atal Tunnel experienced live snowfall, boosting seasonal tourism sentiment.
However, in Shimla, Solan and Una, only traces of rainfall were recorded, insufficient to fully suppress dust pollution. Still, air quality showed notable improvement, with AQI levels declining from around 250 to nearly 140 in several locations.
Despite the brief precipitation, weather conditions remained largely dry, and the cold wave strengthened across much of Himachal Pradesh, indicating that winter severity may intensify further in the coming days.
