Shimla's Snowy Serenity: A Tale of Weather Extremes in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, experienced traces of snow amid a broader cold wave across the state. Sundernagar and Jubbarhatti witnessed light showers. Dense fog hit areas like Bilaspur, while a yellow cold wave warning was issued for Una and Hamirpur. Rainfall from January 1-23 was significantly below average.

Shimla, the picturesque capital of Himachal Pradesh, received its first traces of snow, while suburbs like Sundernagar and Jubbarhatti reported light showers, according to the local Meteorological Department on Thursday. The cold wave intensified in parts of Una and Berthin, as dense fog enveloped Bilaspur, reducing visibility to a mere 50 meters.

The Meteorological Department has issued yellow warnings for cold waves in Una and Hamirpur districts, alongside predictions of isolated rain and snow in the state's middle and high hills. Dense fog is particularly expected in Bilaspur and Mandi districts during the early morning and late-night hours on January 23 and 24.

In Lahaul and Spiti's Tabo, temperatures plummeted to minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest night, while Una recorded a daytime high of 26.2 degrees Celsius. Notably, the state's total rainfall from January 1 to 23 has been 14.7 mm, highlighting a 74% deficit from the normal 57.3 mm.

(With inputs from agencies.)