Yellow alert for heavy rain, snow in Himachal on Friday: IMD

A ‘yellow’ alert for heavy heavy rain and snow in parts of Himachal Pradesh has been issued by the local meteorological department with isolated places in the state already witnessing light rain and snowfall since Monday evening. The Shimla centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in Kangra, Kullu and Mandi districts and heavy snow in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district on Friday.

Thunderstorms and lightning have been predicted at isolated places in the state on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, the weather office said.

It said that rain and snow is likely at isolated places of lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, and higher reaches of Chamba, Kangra and Kullu districts from March 11 to17 with one or two heavy spells of rain on March 14.

Gondla received 16 cm of snow, followed by 15 cm in Keylong, 3.8 cm in Kukumseri and 2.5 cm in Hansa. Meanwhile, intermittent light rains lashed few places with Manali logging 5 mm of rain followed by 3.6 mm in Kothi, 1.5 mm in Bharmaur, 1.4 mm in Bharari, 1.2 mm in Sundernagar, and 1 mm each in Shillaro and Kasol, it added.

There was no major change in the minimum temperatures with Tabo in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recording a night temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius while Una was the hottest during the day at 30.2 degree Celsius.