Snowfall in Shimla 2012 has brought the long wait for white flakes to an end. Not only the tourists and those associated with tourism industry were waiting for it but the apple growers too were looking up the sky to see a better crop this summer. After a brief spell on Wednesday night, fresh snow started on Thursday afternoon.
Snowfall also started in Shimla's surrounding areas, including Kufri and Naldehra. Tourists, who had come to Shimla, were delighted to find white flakes covering the tourist town of Kufri during the morning hours. In the afternoon, Shimla was also lashed by snow.
Himachal Pradesh's popular tourist destinations of Shimla and Manali received more snowfall Monday. The state capital saw a minimum temperature of minus 2.9 degrees Celsius, the season's lowest.
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Monday cancelled his visit to Manali from here due to inclement weather. Shimla has recorded 24.6 cm of snow.
While Shimla saw a moderate spell of snowfall early Monday, upper areas like Narkanda, Jubbal, Kotkhai and Khada Pathar experienced heavy snowfall, according to a Met official here. Manali, too, received moderate snow.
Incessant snow also hampered vehicular traffic on the highways in Shimla, Kinnaur, Kangra, Chamba and Kullu districts.
Most towns, including Shimla, Manali, Chamba and Dalhousie, have been plunged into darkness due to snapping of transmission lines. Even the supply of water was affected due to busting of pipes.
Snowfall in Shimla - Other hill stations like Chail, Kasauli, Barog and Solan also experienced snowfall.
"The entire belt in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu and Chamba district witnessed moderate to heavy snowfall during the past 24 hours," a weatherman said.
A government spokesperson said the traffic on the Chandigarh-Shimla national highway was blocked near Waknaghat, 20 km before Shimla.
Likewise, on the Chandigarh-Manali highway, traffic was stranded near Kullu, 40 km before Manali.
Picturesque Dalhousie and Chamba towns still remained cut off from the rest of the country for the third day due to heavy snowfall near Banikhet, which is located on Pathankot-Chamba national highway.
The Met department's forecast said Western disturbances - storm systems originating from the Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region - would start withdrawing Monday.
"Shimla cannot be imagined without snow during winters. Snow gives a majestic look to the town," Atul Gautam, a hotelier from Shimla said. He added that after disappointing tourists during Christmas and New Year, Shimla has finally received winter's first snow which would bring more tourists to the town.
Ravinder Chauhan, an apple grower, said, "We had been waiting for snowfall. Now trees would get required minimum chilling hours for better production this season."
Delayed snowfall has already hit the tourism sector hard as majority of tourists this year headed for Kashmir. But the fresh spell of snow has brought some hope to the tourism industry as it can expect more rush of tourist to Shimla and its adjoining areas.
A hotelier from Kufri said this winter Shimla has witnessed less number of tourists. "Majority have headed either for Kashmir or Manali," he added.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh is going to reel under severe cold conditions in the coming days as the weather department has predicted overcast sky till January 9 during which the state would receive rain, thundershowers and snow in many places.
Due to Snowfall in Shimla on Thursday had maximum temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius, which was 2.7 degrees below normal temperature, while Manali had a maximum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, which was 5 degrees below normal.
Several areas were cut off today and vehicular traffic came to a halt as fresh snowfall in Shimla, Kinnaur, Chamba and some other areas threw normal life out of gear. Shimla was covered a thick blanket of 30cm of snow while Kufri, Narkanda, Sarahan, Khara-Patthar and Matiana received 100cm to 150cm of snow. The Hindustan-Tibet national highway, Shimla-Rohroo and Shimla-Chopal highway were blocked due to heavy snow and upper Shimla and Kinnaur were cut off from the rest of the state. Shimla-Kalka highway was also blocked from Wakanaghat and no bus or other vehicle reached or left from Shimla in the morning hours.
