Shimla, June 22
An unexpected spell of snowfall in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district disrupted traffic on the Dalhousie-Lakkarmandi-Khajjiar route for nearly two hours on Monday, while light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning affected several parts of the state. The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a yellow warning for adverse weather conditions over the next four days.
According to officials, snowfall in the higher reaches of Chamba district took commuters and tourists by surprise, resulting in traffic congestion and leaving several tourist vehicles stranded on the Dalhousie-Lakkarmandi-Khajjiar road.
Despite the disruption, visitors travelling to Dalhousie welcomed the rare opportunity to witness snowfall during the month of June and were seen enjoying the unusual weather conditions. Authorities said the Public Works Department of the Dalhousie Division acted swiftly, deploying earth-moving machinery to clear the affected stretch and restore normal traffic flow.
Meanwhile, several regions across Himachal Pradesh experienced light to moderate rainfall during the past 24 hours. Thunderstorms and lightning were reported from Shimla, Sundernagar, Kangra, Jot, and Murari Devi.
Weather data released by officials showed that Jot recorded the highest rainfall at 22.8 mm, followed by Slaper at 14.3 mm. Dhaulakuan received 9 mm of rainfall, while Bharmaur recorded 5 mm. Sundernagar received 3.6 mm, Sangla 3.2 mm, and both Manali and Shimla recorded 3 mm each. The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a yellow alert warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds ranging between 30 and 40 kilometers per hour at isolated locations across the state.
The weather department has advised residents and travellers to remain cautious as unstable weather conditions are expected to continue until Friday. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, particularly in vulnerable hill areas where sudden weather changes could impact traffic and daily activities.
