WHITE ALL AROUND
Traffic suspended on Kulu-Manali road, mercury falls below freezing point in Valley
In UP, the winter chill aggravated due to rainfall at some places. More thunder showers, dense fog, expected to follow.
In Uttarakhand, Nainital experienced its first snowfall in two years. Char Dham, the famous shrines, were covered in snow too.
National capital Delhi witnessed its first spell of winter rains, with the minimum temperature recorded at 13.5 degrees.
SRINAGAR/SHIMLA/CHANDIGARH: Rain and snow lashed several states in north India on Saturday, sending temperatures plummeting across vast swathes of the Himalayan foothills, blanketing popular tourist spots in white and triggering the coldest phase of this winter.
Nainital witnessed snowfall for the first time in two years due to the weather phenomenon known as western disturbance, a storm originating in the Mediterranean that brings sudden winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Met director Mritunjay Mohapatra said the mercury will fall further after the disturbance weakens.
In Himachal Pradesh, the season’s first heavy snowfall in Shimla and Kinnaur regions disrupted traffic, telecommunication links and supply of power and water while a large number of tourists were stranded.
Vehicular traffic was brought to a halt beyond Shoghi, 13 km from Shimla which received 40 cms of snow till Saturday noon.
Tour operator Gagan Singh said inquiries have increased after reports of snowfall and tourists have been booking trips for Narkanda, Kufri and Manali.
Traffic has been suspended on Kulu-Manali road due to slippery road conditions and 30 state-run buses were stranded at various places. Rohtang Pass and adjoining areas are covered under a 60 cm thick blanket of snow.
Kashmir Valley remained cut off from the rest of the country for the second day due to heavy snowfall in many areas over the past four days while the mercury fell below freezing point at most places with Gulmarg recording the lowest at minus 8.4 degrees Celsius.
The arterial Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed for the second consecutive day due to heavy snowfall and landslides.
Srinagar city, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and other weather stations across the valley recorded minimum temperature close to freezing point. More snowfall and rain has been predicted in the Valley over the next 24 hours.
Moderate to heavy rains lashed also several parts of Punjab and Haryana, with MeT department predicting more showers in the region till Sunday.
Heavy rain and hailstorm lashed Chandigarh on Thursday evening, affecting power supply for a brief period at some places.