Temperatures across Himachal Pradesh plummeted sharply on Friday with the high-altitude areas getting mild spells of snow while there was rainfall in many parts of the state.
The maximum and minimum temperatures, however, soared several notches above normal in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana.
“High hills in Kullu, Kinnaur, lahaul and Spiti, Shimla, and Chamba districts have experienced snowfall,” said an official of Met Department in Shimla.
Shimla and its nearby areas, like Kufri and Narkanda, experienced moderate rain. So did the picturesque tourist resort Manali, which saw 20 mm rain. The Rohtang Pass, just 52 km from Manali, experienced snowfall.The minimum temperature in the state capital, Shimla plunged by three degrees. It recorded 6.5 degrees Celsius, while it was 3.6 degrees Celsius in Kufri.
Kalpa, 250 km from Shimla, and Keylong in lahaul and Spiti district recorded the night temperature at minus 3.6 degrees and 8.5 degrees Celsius, respectively. Both Kalpa and Keylong saw 11 cm snowfall each. The Met Office has forecast more snow and rain across Himachal due to an active western disturbance till Saturday. Western disturbance is a term used for a storm system that generates in the Mediterranean and brings rain or snow in the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Meanwhile, the temperature levels were recorded several notches above normal in Punjab and Haryana.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded minimum temperature at 13.6 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal.