Kullu weather turns icy; Himachal Pradesh hills blanketed in first snowfall of the season

Snow and rain swept across North India on Friday, breaking a more than three-month-long dry spell. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand saw heavy precipitation, bringing relief to farmers, fruit growers, and tourists. Hill districts in Himachal Pradesh, including Kullu, Shimla, Lahaul Spiti, Mandi, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Kangra, recorded the season’s first snowfall, while lower areas received much-needed rain.

Kullu district and hill regions transformed

In Kullu, heavy snowfall fell at Jalori Jot, high mountain passes, and Shikari Devi and Kamrunag temples. The Rohtang La pass and other high-altitude roads were blocked. Manali experienced heavy snow, causing traffic jams stretching over 15 kilometres from 15 Mile to the town, with vehicles skidding and tourists walking long distances.

Across Himachal Pradesh, 563 roads and two highways remained blocked. Lahaul Spiti had the highest number of blocked roads at 290, followed by Chamba (105), Mandi (64), Kullu (9), Kangra (4), Sirmaur (20), and Solan (1). Power outages affected large parts of the state, with 4,797 distribution transformers non-functional, including 682 in Kullu.

Moderate to heavy rainfall fell across the mid and low hills, with an average of 6.7 mm statewide. Solan recorded 9.7 mm, Hamirpur 9.6 mm, Lahaul Spiti 9.2 mm, Bilaspur 9 mm, Kangra 7.1 mm, Sirmaur 6.4 mm, Chamba 5.7 mm, Shimla 2.6 mm, and Mandi 2.2 mm.

Cold wave and disruptions continue

The snowfall and rain caused a cold wave across Himachal Pradesh. Maximum temperatures dropped sharply in several areas: Shimla 0.6ºC, Manali 2.4ºC, Kalpa 0.3ºC, and Kufri -0.9ºC.

In Jammu and Kashmir, higher reaches received the season’s first snowfall, while the plains saw continuous rain. The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, Mughal Road, and Sinthan Pass were closed. Over 20 flights from Srinagar airport were cancelled, and an avalanche warning was issued for mountainous districts. Ladakh also recorded its first snowfall, with light snow in Leh plains and moderate in Kargil. Educational institutions in Jammu were shut in many districts.

Punjab and Haryana saw light to moderate rainfall, reversing severe January deficits. Gurdaspur in Punjab recorded 40.3 mm, Pathankot 32.5 mm, and Sangrur 21.2 mm. In Haryana, Bhiwani recorded 15 mm, Fatehabad 12 mm, and Kaithal 9.6 mm, while Palwal, Faridabad, Nuh, Gurugram, and Rewari saw minimal rainfall.