Cold wave conditions prevail in Punjab, Haryana after prolonged rain; season's first snowfall in Himachal
PTC News Desk: Snowfall and rainfall blanketed North India in gloomy weather on Friday, with snow painting the hills in postcard-perfect white and continuous rain breaking the long dry spell across the plains. The weather change brought relief to farmers in several regions and excitement among tourists in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand ahead of a long holiday weekend.
Himachal Pradesh witnessed its first snowfall of the winter, ending nearly three months of dry conditions and transforming the state into a scenic winter landscape. Higher elevations in Shimla, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba, Kullu, and Mandi districts received more than a foot of snow, while lower areas experienced widespread rainfall.
The substantial precipitation has offered major relief to farmers, orchard owners, and the tourism sector. The prolonged dry spell had raised serious concerns about livelihoods in the region. “Fruit farming and tourism support lakhs of families here. Without snowfall, sustaining both would be extremely difficult,” said a local orchardist.
However, the weather disruption also affected daily life. Nearly 700 roads were closed, and power outages were reported in many areas after around 4,800 transformers were impacted. Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall was recorded across Punjab and Haryana over the last 24 hours. Rainfall in January, which was 87% below normal until Thursday, shifted to an 18% surplus overnight, while Haryana’s deficit improved from 92% to 33%.
- PTC NEWS
