After a prolonged dry spell, snowfall finally made an appearance over Shimla and many other districts of Himachal Pradesh. Places including Kinnaur, Chamba, Sirmaur, Kullu and Lahaul Spiti also received rain and snow.
On February 7, it started to drizzle in Shimla during the early morning hours. By 11 am, snowfall began, and the capital city of Shimla was covered in a blanket of snow.
Kharapathar in Shimla observed a good 6 inches of snow. Similarly, Narkanda recorded 2 inches of snow.
This fresh spell of snow can be attributed to the Western Disturbance, which started affecting the hills of North India February 6 onwards. Widespread snowfall had already occurred over Jammu and Kashmir during the evening hours of February 6.
The recent spell of snow is beneficial for apple growers in Himachal Pradesh as for the growth of healthy apples, cold weather conditions and snowfall is a must. On February 7, Shimla recorded its maximum as 5.2°C, which is the lowest of the season.
Now, the weather has cleared up in Shimla and other areas of Himachal Pradesh and is likely to remain the same for another 24 to 36 hours. After that, a fresh Western Disturbance will affect the Western Himalayas February 9 onwards.
Shimla will receive another fresh spell of snow on February 10 and 11. During the next 24 hours, temperatures will witness a rise in the state capital. However, after the snowfall, a fall in temperatures is expected.
Image Credit: thehindu.com
