Surprise snowfall in Himachal

Shimla :A couple of days after the temperature shot up abnormally in the mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh the hill state received moderate to heavy snowfall on Sunday.

This has ended the long drought like conditions in the mid and higher hills. The lower hills were lashed by rain.

The state capital Shimla received the season’s first heavy snowfall this winter.Traffic came to a standstill and tourists along with locals were seen playing in the snow.

Upper Shimla also remains cut off by road along with much of tribal Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts where the snowfall was heavy.

Farmers in the apple belt have heaved a sigh of relief as the snowfall has ended the prolonged dry spell.

Parts of Sirmaur district also had snowfall. Solang ski slopes overlooking Manali had snow but surprisingly the popular resort town of Manali had sleet along with rain.

Kangra valley’s Dhauladhar ranges and higher parts of Chamba district were under a thick white blanket.

During the next few days the tourist arrivals will pick up as most hill stations are wearing a white mantle.

The maximum temperature in Shimla on Sunday was 5 C and 3 C in Kalpa.