 "Snowfall was reported in most parts of Lahaul Spiti, including Sissu, Gondhla, Tandi, Jispa, Darcha, Sarchu and Koksar. (Photo: PTI)")
Himachal Pradesh woke to an early winter spectacle as the Himalayas were cloaked in a pristine white blanket. Kedarnath, Gulmarg, and Manali have been transformed into enchanting winter havens, drawing crowds eager to witness the season’s magic. On Monday, the Manali-Leh highway was shut after the state’s higher reaches endured moderate to heavy snowfall for the second consecutive day, while relentless rain soaked the lower and mid-altitude hills, adding a dramatic contrast to the unfolding winter scene.
Snowfall was reported in most parts of Lahaul Spiti, including Sissu, Gondhla, Tandi, Jispa, Darcha, Sarchu and Koksar. Heavy snow blocked the Leh highway between Darcha and Sarchu, along with the national highway between Koksar and Lossar, and the Darcha to Shinkula road. Authorities have advised against unnecessary travel in the district.
A stunning video of snow-clad roads has surfaced on X.
Popular tourist routes such as the Atal Tunnel and Rohtang Pass also received snow for the second day, while Sach Pass at around 4,400 metres was blocked. Snowfall was recorded in higher reaches of Kinnaur and Kullu districts, and the Dhauladhar mountains in Kangra also witnessed fresh snow.
Impact on temperatures, travel and agriculture
The Meteorological Centre in Shimla reported rainfall in most parts of the state. In Kullu, rain forced organisers to move evening cultural programmes of the ongoing Dussehra festival indoors. Continuous snow and rain caused temperatures to fall sharply, with Keylong in Lahaul Spiti recording the lowest minimum temperature at 0.1 degrees Celsius on Monday. Shimla recorded a minimum of 11.5 degrees, Dharamshala 16.6 degrees, Manali 8.5 degrees and Kufri 6.8 degrees. Maximum temperatures fell by up to 15 degrees below normal in many areas, with Keylong recording the lowest maximum of 1.3 degrees Celsius. Dalhousie recorded a maximum of 8.1 degrees, Bhuntar 15.7 degrees, Kalpa 8.5 degrees, Manali 9.2 degrees and Nahan 17.4 degrees.
A yellow alert was issued for rainfall in the low and mid hills and snowfall in high hills on Tuesday.