Himachal Pradesh braces for a yellow alert from the India Meteorological Department starting Saturday.
SHIMLA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for rain, thunderstorms, lightning and snowfall in Himachal Pradesh from Saturday (March 28), with weather activity likely to intensify over the next two days.Senior scientist at IMD Himachal Pradesh, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, said light rainfall is expected in isolated areas such as Solan by Friday evening, while districts including Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Kullu may also receive light showers.“The weather system will become active from the night of March 28, and its impact will be seen across most parts of the state on March 29 and 30. Many regions are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall, while higher reaches may experience light to moderate snowfall,” Sharma said.
He added that higher-altitude districts such as Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur are likely to see snowfall, though no warning for heavy rain or snowfall has been issued.The IMD has also cautioned about thunderstorms and lightning in several districts — including Una, Bilaspur, Chamba, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur under the yellow alert category.“Thunderstorm and lightning activity may occur in isolated areas, particularly in mid-hill districts.
However, no extreme weather event is anticipated at this stage,” Sharma said.According to IMD data, temperatures across the state remain near normal. Una recorded a maximum of around 31°C, while Shimla and Solan reported temperatures close to seasonal averages.“Day temperatures are expected to remain near normal on March 28, but a drop of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius is likely between March 29 and 30 due to the active weather system,” Sharma said.He said weather activity is likely to ease from March 31, though some mid- and high-hill areas may continue to receive light to moderate rainfall. A more significant reduction in activity is expected from April 1.Sharma also flagged concerns for apple-growing regions, where flowering and fruit-setting are currently underway, as the changing weather could impact crops.On seasonal rainfall, he said, “Himachal Pradesh has recorded around minus 17 per cent below normal precipitation so far this March. While districts like Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, and Solan have received normal to above-normal rainfall, other areas are still experiencing a deficit.”
