Heavy snow and widespread rains plummet temperatures in HP

Shimla, Feb 27 (UNI) Cold wave conditions have revived in Himachal Pradesh following fresh spell of heavy snow in high altitude areas and widespread rains in mid and lower hills of the state during the last 24 hrs, the met office and official sources said.

All most all high altitude areas in Kinnuar, Lahaul Spiti, Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Mandi and Sirmaur districts were experiencing heaviest snowfall of the winter season, while heavy rains were lashing the mid and lower hills of the state since last night.

Shimla Meteorological Department Director Manmohan Singh told UNI here that the western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir and other adjoining areas as an upper air cyclonic circulation, extending up to six km above mean sea level, was responsible for fresh spell of snow and rain in the state.

He said the temperatures were likely to fall at Shimla and other adjoining areas due to fresh snow and rain in the state and the town was likely to receive snow during the next 36 hrs.

The met office said Rohtang Pass, situated at 13,050-feet, and the gateway to Lahaul Spiti district had recorded over 30 cm of fresh snow up till 1400 hrs, while Rekong Peo, the district headquarter of Kinnuar had recorded over 20 cm of snow.

The famous tourist resorts of Kufri, Fagu, Narkanda, Sarahan and Naldehra in Shimla district, Manali in Kullu district and Dalhousie and Khajjiar in Chamba district, Dhauladhar Ranges in Kangra district and Chaurdhar Ranges in Sirmaur district were experiencing fresh spell of intermittent snowfall since last night.

The tourist resorts of Narkanada and Mandi in Kullu district had recorded about 25 cm of snow each, while Kufri had recorded about five cm of snow up till 1500 hrs.

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