Christmas Cheer With Snow And Shiver: North India Sees Snow, Near Zero Visibility & Road Closures – News18
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Weather Today: A maximum of 145 roads were closed in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, followed by 25 in Kullu and 20 in Mandi districts.
Tourists enjoy amid snowfall, in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, Tuesday, December 24, 2024. (PTI Photo)
North India, especially Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, has turned into a Christmas delight for those who love snow and are looking for a festive getaway. However, with this, comes traffic woes in the hilly tourist spots.
Snowfall was recorded in Himachal’s Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and the higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur districts on the eve of Christmas on Tuesday.
As per the local Met department, Khadrala received 24 cm of snow, followed by Sangla (16.5 cm), Shillaro (15.3 cm), Chopal and Jubbal (15 cm each), Kalpa (14 cm), Nichar (10 cm), Shimla (7 cm), Pooh (6 cm) and Jot (5 cm).
Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti was coldest in the state on Tuesday with night temperature dropping to minus 6.9 degrees Celsius.
Road Closures, Spike in Hotel Bookings Tourist Spots of Himachal Pradesh
Officials in Himachal Pradesh said that at least 223 roads, including three national highways, were closed following fresh snowfall in several districts.
A maximum of 145 roads were closed in Shimla, followed by 25 in Kullu and 20 in Mandi districts.
A report in Hindustan Times stated that there was a surge in hotel bookings, while four deaths were recorded due to vehicle skidding incidents.
Dense Fog in Delhi on Wednesday
Delhi witnessed dense fog on the morning of Christmas on Wednesday with mere 100m visibility recorded in Safdurjung and Palam. Several trains coming towards Delhi were also reported running late.
On Tuesday evening, parts of the national capital had witnessed rain.
The maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 20.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, warmer than usual for this time of the season, with cloudy skies prevailed during the day.
The day began with a foggy morning with minimum temperature recorded at 9.9 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season’s average.
Weather in Jammu and Kashmir
The higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Tuesday with the minimum temperature plummeting several degrees below the freezing point in many parts of the Valley, a report in PTI quoted officials as saying.
The drop in mercury led to freezing of water supply lines even as a thin layer of ice covered the surface of several water bodies.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night, while Pahalgam shivered at minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature settled at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, minus 6.2 degrees in Qazigund, while Konibal, a hamlet in the Pampore region, was the coldest in the Valley at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius.
The Met department has predicted a further dip in minimum temperature by two to three degrees in the next couple of days till December 26.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — considered the harshest period of winter — which started on December 21.
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