Shimla, 30 December (Udaipur Kiran) – The wait for snowfall in Himachal Pradesh is soon to end, but the weather has taken a surprising turn. The nights in Shimla, a hill station eagerly awaiting snow, have become warmer than the plains, with minimum temperatures rising to 10 degrees Celsius, which is 6 degrees above normal.
According to the Meteorological Centre in Shimla, the western disturbance has become active from today. This will bring a significant change in the weather over the next few days. The department forecasts rain and snowfall in many parts of the state between 30 December and 2 January. The weather is expected to remain bad throughout the state on 31 December and 1 January. Heavy snowfall is likely in the higher and mid-mountain areas, while plain and lower regions may experience rainfall. The weather is expected to clear up on 3 and 4 January, but clouds may return with rain in some places from 5 January onwards.
This forecast raises hopes for snowfall in the New Year. So far, no snowfall has been recorded in Shimla during December, marking the fourth consecutive year without snowfall in the month. Tourists have been eagerly waiting to witness the first snowfall of the season.
The weather department has also issued a yellow alert for cold waves from 31 December to 2 January, warning that the cold will intensify following the snowfall.
Meanwhile, fog continues to affect the lower regions of the state. On Tuesday, visibility dropped to 50 metres in Bilaspur and 70 metres in Mandi. Most areas experienced cloudy conditions this morning, with fog in the plains and tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, while Shimla saw occasional sunshine amid clouds. Temperature data shows that although cold conditions prevail across the state, Shimla recorded an unexpected increase in night temperatures. The minimum temperature in Shimla was 10.0 degrees Celsius, about one degree above normal, rising by 1.4 degrees in the last 24 hours.
In contrast, the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti recorded the coldest temperatures, with Kukumseri at minus 5.0 degrees Celsius and Tabo at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius. Kukumseri remains the coldest place in the state. Other temperatures recorded include Kalpa in Kinnaur at minus 0.6, Manali at 3.3, Narkanda at 3.9, Reckong Peo at 1.5, and Sarahan at 5.1 degrees Celsius.
Among the lower and plain districts, minimum temperatures were noted as 2.9 in Sundernagar, 2.6 in Solan, 4.3 in Mandi, 5.2 in Hamirpur, 6.2 in Kangra, 6.6 in Una, 7.0 in Bilaspur, and 8.9 degrees Celsius in Nahan. Notably, nights in Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Una have been colder than those in Shimla, indicating unusual weather patterns.
Weather experts say that while the western disturbance may bring relief to farmers and horticulturists through rain and snowfall, the associated cold wave, fog, and severe cold might increase difficulties for residents.
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(Udaipur Kiran) / Ujjwal Sharma
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.