The higher reaches of Shimla and adjoining areas received the season's first snowfall in the morning hours on Tuesday, while it rained in the lower parts of the town, bringing a smile on the faces of tourists.
Jakhu, the highest tourist destination in the town, and adjoining areas of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda, too, received snow. It also snowed in other parts of the state, with the high reaches of Lahual and Spiti, Kinnaur, and Chamba receiving heavy snowfall, causing a dip in the mercury.
Tourist destinations of Manali and Dalhousie also received snow.
The sky in Shimla was overcast the whole day, with the cold wave tightening its grip in the region. In Shimla, the mercury fell to 8.6°C, while Lahaul and Spiti, and Kinnaur, continued to reel under sub-zero conditions. At Keylong, the temperature was -2.9°C, while at Kalpa it was -1.2°C.
Kinnaur deputy commissioner Rajeev Shankar said lower areas of the district received light snowfall in the morning. "The high reaches experienced heavy snow and weather is still cloudy. The roads are open," he said.
The middle and lower hills of the state, meanwhile, experienced intermittent rain. The temperature in Sundernagar was 9.9°C, while at Dharamsala it was 18.2°C. Nahan and Solan were at 14.9°C and 14.5°C, while Una was comparatively warmer at 18.8°C. It also snowed in Churdhar and Haripurdhar areas of Nahan.
{{/usCountry}}The middle and lower hills of the state, meanwhile, experienced intermittent rain. The temperature in Sundernagar was 9.9°C, while at Dharamsala it was 18.2°C. Nahan and Solan were at 14.9°C and 14.5°C, while Una was comparatively warmer at 18.8°C. It also snowed in Churdhar and Haripurdhar areas of Nahan.
{{/usCountry}}An official in the meteorological department said the state will continue to be in the grip of freezing conditions for some days to come. He also warned of heavy rain with thundershowers at lower reaches and rain with snow in higher reaches of the state. "Under the prevailing western disturbances, the cold conditions will continue. Snowfall will also be witnessed in the next few days," meteorological director Manmohan Singh said.