Manali gets season''s first snowfall

Shimla, December 12

Snowfall continued to elude this Himachal Pradesh capital on Tuesday, but another picturesque tourist resort Manali had mild snowfall overnight, season's first spell.

"Manali and the hills overlooking it experienced mild to moderate spells of snow and there are chances of more snow till Wednesday," said an official at the meteorological office. He said picturesque Kalpa, some 250 km from Shimla, also experienced snow.

"High-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Shimla districts have been experiencing snow since Monday," the official added.

Rain lashed lower areas of the state such as Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi, dipping the mercury.

Tourist spots near Shimla, such as honeymooners' paradise Kufri and Narkanda experienced mild snowfall, turning the hill stations even more picturesque.

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As news of the snowfall flashed across the plains, tourists started arriving in Manali and the nearby hills like Solang and Gulaba.

"We are hopeful of getting good arrival of tourists in Manali and its nearby areas with this season's first spell of snowfall," Manali Hoteliers Association President Gajinder Thakur told IANS over the phone.

The Met said the weather would remain dry after Wednesday as the western disturbances would recede from the region.

IANS