Even as various high altitude regions experienced snowfall and Dehradun received rain on Thursday, the state meteorological centre forecast that cold conditions might become severe on Friday and Saturday in most of the districts in Uttarakhand.
Heavy snowfall is likely to continue in the high altitude areas of the state, said the director of state meteorological centre Bikram Singh. Meanwhile, the district magistrates have ordered a school holiday on Friday in eight districts in view of the weather forecast.
Heavy snowfall was reported in various high altitude regions on Thursday, which also resulted in disruption of traffic. Considering the weather forecast for Friday, the district magistrates have declared a holiday in all private and government schools in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Pithoragarh, Nainital and Almora districts.
According to Singh, higher areas of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag and Bageshwar districts which are at an altitude of 2500 metres and above might receive two-four feet snow. Isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts which are at an altitude of 2200 metres and above might also receive a couple of feet of snow on Saturday, he said.
The skies in the state’s provisional capital are forecast to remain generally cloudy to overcast today. Light to moderate rain showers are likely to occur.
“Rainfall might increase in Dehradun on Friday and most likely skies will get clear in the forenoon of December 14. Thursday witnessed just the beginning of rainfall in Dehradun. There is a strong probability that it will increase on Friday, he added.
Hail is also likely to occur at isolated places in Dehradun, Tehri, Nainital, Pauri, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar districts on Friday.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in Dehradun on Friday are forecast to be about 15 degrees Celsius and seven degrees Celsius respectively.
Meanwhile, the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded at various places in Uttarakhand on Thursday were 16.2 degrees Celsius and 11.6 degrees Celsius respectively in Dehradun, 20.5 degrees Celsius and 11.4 degrees Celsius in Pantnagar, 7.2 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius in Mukteshwar and 6.4 degrees and 4.4 degrees Celsius respectively in New Tehri.