Snow, rain continue to lash region

Chandigarh, Mar 13 (UNI) Higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh experienced heavy snowfall while widespread rain pounded Punjab and Haryana for the third day today, reviving cold climatic conditions in the region.

The incessant snowfall and rain disrupted normal life in many areas of Himachal Pradesh, triggering landslides in mid and lower hills and affecting power supply and telecommunication services especially in the tribal areas. The rain is not considered beneficial for Rabi crops, particularly wheat crop, in Punjab and Haryana.

A severe hailstorm, preceded and followed by rain, hit Chandigarh and its adjoining areas and busy roads in the city wore a white sheet due to large-sized hail balls. The hail soon melted.

The city, which was lashed by high velocity winds for the third day today, experienced moderate rain, plummeting the temperature.

The present change in the weather system is attributed to the western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir and neighbourhood and to induced upper air cyclonic circulation lying over South Punjab and its neighbourhood, extending upto 1.5 km above main sea level, according to the Weather Office here.

Tribal districts of Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi valley in Chamba district had another spell of heavy snowfall bringing a sharp fall in the temperatures and intensifying cold wave in the tribal belt. The mercury hovered around minus 3.5 degrees celsius at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

High altitude areas in Chamba, Kullu and Kangra districts also had a fresh spell of snowfall while the lower areas of these districts received rain.

The 13050-foot high Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul Spiti district, and the Dhauladhar Mountain ranges, facing the picturesque Kangra valley, also had hevy snowfall. Snowfall was also reported from upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist resort of Narkanda.

Lower areas in Himachal Pradesh had a widespread rain. The capital town of Shimla recorded 37.8 mm rainfall till 0830 hours. People groaned under intense cold in Shimla with the mercury dipping to 2.9 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal.

Lower areas of the state, including Bhuntar, Sundednagar, Naudan, Guler, Nagrota Surian and Gamroor, were lashed by rain. Tourist resorts of Dalhousie and Khajjiar in Chamba district also had rainfall.

Rains also lashed several areas in Punjab and Haryana. Amritsar which recorded moderate rain measuring 27.2 mm overnight, recorded a minumim temperature of 10.2 degrees. Patiala recorded 14.4 mm and Ludhiana 14.8 mm till this morning. Nangal Dam also experienced rainfall.

In Haryana, Karnal was the wettest place recording 32.8 mm rain overnight while Ambala measured 15.6 mm. Panchkula and Kalka areas also had rain.

The weather office has predcited moderate to rather heavy rain or snow at most places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

Hailstorm or thundersqualls with speed exceeding 45 km per hour is likely to occur at isolated places in the region during the period.

UNI