North India's canvas: Snow in mountains, rain in plains

Late on Tuesday night, various parts of the national capital experienced light rainfall. Areas such as Mandi House, RK Puram, and Indraprastha Road near Nizamuddin flyover to Bhairon Mar observed fresh showers.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Himachal Pradesh is expected to receive isolated light to moderate rainfall or snowfall across most places in Chamba districts.

According to IMD forecasts, there's a possibility of light to moderate rainfall/snowfall across most areas in the districts of Chamba, Lahul, and Spiti, as well as Kinnaur. Isolated instances of heavy precipitation are possible in some areas. Additionally, thunderstorms, lightning, and hail accompanied by gusty winds may occur in districts including Bilaspur, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Mandi, and Kullu.

On Monday, upper regions of Himachal Pradesh witnessed snowfall, while the mid and lower hills experienced light rainfall, leading to road blockages and power outages.

The meteorological center in Shimla reported snowfall in higher reaches of Kullu, Kinnaur, Chamba, and Lahaul Spiti. Significant snow accumulation occurred in places like Kalpa, Pooh, Manali, Keylong, Udaipur, and Kukumseri, with heavy snowfall also affecting mountain passes including Rohtang.

The popular tourist destination, Atal Tunnel, saw heavy snowfall reaching around four feet, resulting in the halting of vehicular movement beyond Solang valley by Kullu police. Several major roads in Lahaul Spiti, including Atal Tunnel to Darcha and Sarchu, faced blockages due to heavy snowfall.

Throughout Monday, most parts of the state experienced light to heavy rainfall. Significant rainfalls were recorded in Manali, Dalhousie, Chamba, Bhuntar, Kullu, and Kinnaur. The state's total rainfall measured 7.3 mm, marking a 78% increase from the usual 4.1 mm.

The combined effect of snow and rain led to a decrease in average maximum and minimum temperatures across the state. Kukumseri in Lahaul Spiti recorded the lowest temperature at -0.5 degrees Celsius, while Bilaspur registered the highest at 25.7 degrees Celsius. Weather forecasts indicate that rain and snowfall are expected to persist in the coming days.