Hoteliers happy as weatherman predicts light rain, snow in hills of Himachal Pradesh around New Year

PTI

Shimla, December 27

Reeling under dry cold for the last two weeks, Himachal Pradesh may witness a wet spell in the mid and higher hills around New Year as the Meteorological Department has forecast light rain at isolated places in the mid-hills and light rain or snow in the higher hills from December 30 to January 1.

A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from December 30, causing rains or snowfall from December 30 to January 1 in the mid and higher hills, but the weather would remain dry in the lower hills and plains from December 28 to January 2, the MeT office said.

Hoteliers are upbeat due to the rain and snow forecast as the New Year’s Eve has fallen on a weekend and snowfall would further boost the tourist arrival at places such as Shimla, Manali, Kasauli and Chail.

The minimum temperatures stayed close to normal and Kusumseri in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti was the coldest in the region with a low of minus 10.4 degrees Celsius.

However, the maximum temperatures rose marginally and Una was the hottest place in the state with a high of 25.2 degrees Celsius, 4.7 notches above normal, while Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a maximum temperature of 13.9 degrees Celsius, 7.8 notches above normal.

Shimla and Dharamshala recorded a maximum temperature of 16.5 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius respectively.

The state received 45.2 mm rains in the post-monsoon season from October 1 to December 27 against the normal rainfall of 75.5 mm—a deficit of 40 per cent—and barring Bilaspur and Una, which received 47 per cent and 34 per cent excess rains respectively, the 10 other districts had deficit rains ranging between 9 per cent and 76 per cent.

However, the rain deficit in December was 81 per cent as all 12 districts had deficit rains. Kinnaur and Sirmaur received 99 per cent and 95 per cent deficit rains while the rain deficit in the other districts ranged between 39 per cent and 87 per cent, which is harmful for Rabi crops.

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