Intense cold wave conditions continued in Himachal as higher reaches and tribal areas received fresh snowfall and widespread rain lashed middle and lower hills. Thunderstorm accompanied by sleet and sharp showers hit the region.
Gondla received 45 cm of fresh snow while Kalpa recorded 20 cm of snow, followed by Kothi, Keylong and Khadrala with 15 cm, Udaipur with 12 cm, Kufri 10 cm and Pooh and Bharmaur with 5 cm of snow.
A severe thunderstorm accompanied by sleet and showers lashed Shimla and surrounding areas and dark clouds overcast the sky, reducing visibility to just a few metres, disrupting vehicular traffic. A large number of tourists thronged Shimla and adjoining areas and made a beeline to Kufri to enjoy the snow.
The local MeT office had issued an orange warning of heavy rain accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds with a speed of 30-40 kmph in lower hills and heavy rain/snow and thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds with a speed of 30-40 kmph in mid hills for Thursday. The region witnessed intermittent rains and storm, forcing people to stay indoors. The MeT office predicted rain at most places in middle and higher hills from March 13 to March 18, except on March 16.
Widespread rains occurred in the state and Dalhousie and Kothi received 68 mm and 60 mm rains, followed by Dharamshala with 49 mm, Sangrah 47 mm, Ghumarwin 46 mm, Kheri 45 mm, Chamba 43 mm, Kandaghat and Renuka 40 mm, Paonta Sahib, Gaggal, Bilaspur and Naina Devi 34 mm, Manali, Tissa Sujanpur Tira 33 mm, Pachhad, Mehre and Palampur 32 mm, Guler and Nadaun 31 mm, Nurpur and Banjar 29 mm, Hamirpur 28 mm, Kasauli, Baijnath and Una 25 mm, Sangla 24 mm, Shimla and Nahan with 18 mm of rain.
The minimum temperatures remained below normal and Keylong was the coldest with a low of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Kalpa with minus 0.9, Manali minus 0.8, Kufri minus 0.7, Dalhousie 0.8, Shimla 2.5, Palampur 7, Bhuntar 7.3, Solan 7.5, Dharamsala 7.6, Sundernagar 8.7, Una 11.2 and Nahan 13.3 degrees Celsius.
The maximum day temperatures fluctuated marginally and Nahan was the hottest during the day with a high of 21.7 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar with 21.6, Bhuntar 21.3, Una 20.7, Solan 19, Shimla 15, Dharamsala 12.8, Manali 11.4, Kalpa 8.4, Kufri 4.9 and Keylong 0.5 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall Recorded\
Dalhousie 68 mm
Kothi 60 mm
Dharamsala 49 mm