After last week’s heavy snowfall, life in the hill regions of Himachal Pradesh is still struggling to return to normal. The India Meteorological Department has now issued fresh warnings, with the Meteorological Centre in Shimla sounding yellow and orange alerts for January 26 and 27. The forecast predicts heavy snowfall, rain, thunderstorms and lightning across several parts of the state, accompanied by strong winds gusting between 50 and 70 kmph. All 12 districts have been placed under a yellow alert for January 26, while conditions are expected to worsen further on January 27. (Image: Instagram)
An orange alert has been issued for Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, warning of heavy snowfall and strong winds, while the remaining districts will continue under a yellow alert. Although no formal warnings have been announced for January 28 and 29, adverse weather is expected to persist in high-altitude areas. The skies are likely to clear briefly on January 30, but another spell of bad weather is forecast from January 31 onwards. (Image: Instagram)
The impact of the snowfall has been severe. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, 832 roads remain closed across Himachal Pradesh, including three National Highways. Lahaul-Spiti has been the worst affected, with 280 roads and two highways shut. Shimla has 234 closed roads, Chamba 78, Mandi 110, and Kullu one National Highway along with 64 roads blocked. Power supply has also taken a hit, with 1,942 transformers still non-functional. Shimla accounts for the highest number of outages with 789 transformers down, followed by Sirmaur, Mandi, Chamba and Kullu. (Image: Instagram)
The cold wave gripping the state has pushed minimum temperatures below freezing in several towns. Manali and Narkanda recorded -1.1°C, Kukumsheri plunged to -7.9°C, and Tabo dropped to -10°C. Kalpa reported -4°C, Dharamshala -0.6°C, Reckong Peo -0.7°C, and Sarahan -0.3°C. Kufri hovered just above freezing at 0.1°C, while Shimla recorded 2.5°C, Palampur 2.0°C, Solan 3.0°C, and Jubbarhatti 2.0°C. (Image: Instagram)
Despite the hardships caused by snow, the fresh snowfall has brought a surge in tourism. Popular destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Kufri, Dharamshala, Chail and Dalhousie have seen a sharp rise in visitors. (Image: Instagram)
In Shimla, hotel occupancy has reportedly touched 90 percent, underscoring the strong winter tourism rush even as residents continue to grapple with disrupted daily life. (Image: Instagram)
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