HP witnesses abnormally warm weather
Shimla, Jan 28 – Himachal Pradesh is witnessing abnormally warm weather conditions before the major spell of snowfall and rain from Sunday onwards.
The minimum temperature of Shimla on Saturday was 7.2 degrees, whi is four degrees above normal. Tourist resort Manali recorded 1.4 degrees i.e 2.5 degrees above normal, Keylong in Lahual Spiti district was minus 11.5 degrees and coldest in the state.
Tourist resort Dalhousie recorded 6.5 degrees, 5.3 degree above normal, Tourist resort Kasauli ten degrees, Kufri six degrees, Dharmshala and Bilaspur 7, Hamirpur 5.8, Kangra 4.5, Solan 3.5, Chamba 3.8, Narkanda 2.2, Kalpa minus 0.4 degrees and three degrees above normal.
In five days, the weather forecast Met Office issued a yellow alert of rain or snowfall from January 29 with the possibility of heavy rain or snow likely to occur in the districts of Lahul-Spiti, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Kinnaur. Thunderstorms accompanied by hailstorms are likely to occur at isolated places over plains, low and mid hills from 29th to 30th Jan 2023.
Rainfall activity is likely to decrease from 31st Jan 2023 onwards. With bright sunshine on Saturday, many snowbound roads are cleared in the state. Manali Leh National Highway ( NH – 003 ) upto Darcha is open for four-by-four vehicles and Tata Sumo with chains . Darcha Shinkula road is closed for all types of vehicles. Pangi Killar Highway ( SH – 26 ) from Tandi to Udaipur is open for four-by-four vehicles and Tata Sumo with chains. Kaza road ( NH – 505 ) is closed from Graphu to Kaza and Sumdo to Sumling is open for four-by-four vehicles.
Baring Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba district life came normal , however, 178 roads and four National Highway were still snowbound as 136roads are snowbound in Lahaul-Spiti and 32 in Chamba. Power supply couldn’t resume in 238 distribution Transformer Region in the state most of in Chamba district.
Agriculture experts said Mercury is varying abnormally and till now 400 chilling hours were achieved in the winter season. Former Director of Agriculture Metereogical center Mashobra & processor of Dr. Y S Parmar University Nauni Dr. S P Bhardwaj said that required 900 to 1000 Chilling hours are yet to achieved. Due to abnormal increase in temperature above 15 degrees in many places disturbing dormancy in the apple and high chilling fruit plants may affect crop productivity in the coming season.