Rain, snowfall hit normal life in Himachal Pradesh

Normal life was hit and vehicular traffic disrupted in several parts of Himachal Pradesh as mid and higher hills experienced moderate snowfall while lower hills had widespread heavy rains.
The high altitude tribal areas and mountain passes had another spell of heavy snowfall while mid and higher reaches had moderate snowfall, causing sharp fall in temperature.
The Hindustan-Tibet national highway was blocked due to snow beyond Shimla and traffic to Theog, Narkanda, Jubbal, Chopal and Rohroo and Khara-Patthar remained suspended.
Kinnaur and Rampur bound vehicles were routed via Dhami-Basantpur-Kingal.
The Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation had sent some buses to Chhaila and Kotkhai but there was no information whether they reached the destination.

"Road clearance work is in progress and most of the roads in upper Shimla region are expected to be opened by the evening," Dinesh Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla said.

Shimla received 10 cm of snow while adjoining resorts of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda had 15 cm to 30 cm of snow.
The water pipes froze in several parts of Shimla town as minimum temperature touched freezing point.
Koksar in Lahaul Spiti recorded 65 cm of snow while Kalpa in Kinnaur district received 30 cm of snow. Keylong and Bharmaur in tribal belt had 20 cm of snow, followed by Mashobra 12 mm, Kotkhai and Saloni 8 cm and Manali 3 cm.

Rohtang and Kunzam passes and Dhauladhar and Churdhar ranges in Kangra and Sirmaur experienced heavy intermittent snowfall and the minimum temperature plummeted to minus 10.1 deg C, minus 8.9 deg, minus 3.8 and min 2.5 deg at Bharmaur, Keylong, Kalpa and Manali respectively.
Shimla and Sundernagar shivered at 0.1 deg and 1.6 deg while Solan and Nahan recorded a low of 2.4 deg and 2.8 deg.
Two sorties of state chopper were conducted from Bhunter to Stingri and Tandi in Lahaul Spiti from and 40 persons were evacuated from snowbound areas.
The mid and lower hills were lashed by heavy rains and Una was wettest in the region with 91 mm rains, followed by Bangana 70 mm, Dharamshala 67 mm, Mehre 66 mm, Amb 65 mm, Bharwara 64 mm, Beer 63 mm, Ghamroor 62 mm, Guler 55 mm, Palampur 53 mm, Gohar and Kangra 51 mm each.

However, the day temperatures rose by few notches due to clear day and Una recorded maximum temperature at 20.0 deg while Sundernagar and Solan recorded a high of 18.1 deg and 17.5 deg, followed by Bhuntar 16.6 deg, Nahan 16.3 deg, Dharamsala 13.2 deg and Shimla 12.0 degree .
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather tomorrow and rains and snow in higher hills from January 25 onwards.