People in Shimla, Kufri and Manali woke up in a white blanket of snow on 12 December, which was season's first snowfall in the region. The residents of Shimla shivered as cold winds brought down the minimum temperature. Popular tourist spots near Shimla also experienced snowfall.
The nearby hilly areas of Manali like the Rohtang Pass, Solang ski slopes and Gulaba also received good snowfall. On the other hand, Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district and Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded snow on the second successive day.
Since Monday (10 December), temperature in Himachal Pradesh remained below the freezing point with widespread rain and snow, informed an official from the meteorological department adding that the western disturbances will begin withdrawing from 13 December.
The splendid Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas bordering Dharamsala also wore a fresh blanket of snow.
A Met executive said, "High-altitude areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Sirmaur and Shimla districts have experienced moderate to heavy snow".
Lower areas including Solan, Dharamsala, Palampur, Nahan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una and Mandi received rainfall, bringing down the temperatures. The tourism department expects a huge crowd in the state, particularly in Shimla after the news of snowfall. Apple growers were happy as snow is considered manure for the fruit.
