After hopes were dashed for white Christmas and white New Year, cupid finally struck queen of hills and moderate snowfall covered the entire city making it a perfect romance destination for the couples.
Temperature in the State took a sharp dip since Thursday night due to western disturbance prevailing in the State. On Friday morning, people and tourists in the city woke up to rain and light snowfall, which gradually increased and by 8am almost every hill and tree was covered with thick blanket of snow.
Tourists from Chandigarh on the occasion of Valentine day started rushing to Shimla and were seen playing with snow at different scenic places in the city. Restaurants, gift shops and hotels which have come up with different offers on the occasion of valentine day, rejoiced with the snowfall.
Shimla witnessed snowfall only thrice in past one decade on Valentine Day, that is February 14. Apart from Friday’s snowfall, the last snowfall was witnessed in 2007 and 2012 in past one decade.
The intermittent snowfall accompanied by high velocity winds in different parts on Friday disrupted normal life and vehicular traffic in the state. Following the heavy snowfall on higher altitude areas, National Highway-22 was closed beyond Kufri-18 kilometer from Shimla and traffic to Rampur was being routed via Basantpur- Kingal road while the Manali-Rohtang- leh Highway was closed for traffic beyond Manali.
State highway connecting Shimla with Theog, Kotkhai, Jubbal, Narkanda, Nerwa Chopal were closed due to heavy snowfall. Narkanda a famous tourist place, 65 kilometer from here has received over one foot of snow. Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner JM Pathania told on phone that Reckong Peo has received over two feet of snow. “Heavy snow is continuing since last evening and it has disrupted vehicular traffic across the district,” he said, adding that machinery was being used to clear roads.
According to the data of Meteorological department, Moorang of Kinnaurhas recorded 100cm of snowfall while Saluni 25 cm, Bharmaur, Kalpa and Manali 18 cm each, Bijahi 15 cm, Keylong and Chatrarri 12 cm, Tissa 10 cm and Theog 9 cm.
Tourist station Manali has received 18 cm of snowfall in last 24 hours. lower altitude areas were drenched by rain. After snowfall minimum temperature increased by 1 to 2 degree Celsius. State capital Shimla recorded minimum of 1 degree Celsius, while Sunder Nagar minimum at 7.3 degree Celsius and Bhuntar 4 degree Celsius. Dharmshala recorded minimum temperature of 6.4 degree Celsius. Kalpa of Kinnaur district recorded minimum of minus 2.8 degree Celsius. Keylong remained coldest at minus 11.7 degree Celsius.