Shimla:
Heavy showers lashed most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday while high-altitude tribal areas received another spell of snowfall, providing the much needed relief to people from the scorching sun.
Temperature was running six to eight degrees above normal for the past two weeks and plummeted after the rainfall, which also extinguished forest fires in the lower and mid-hills.
In the state capital Shimla, heavy rains and thunderstorm lasted for about two hours, causing a sharp fall in the mercury. Strong velocity winds swept the region and the sky remained heavily overcast.
Key tourist destinations of Dharamsala, Palampur, Manali, Kullu, Chail, Kasauli, Chamba and Barog also received rains. Several areas in Kangra and Una also saw rainfall, bringing cheers to farmers who were facing a shortage of fodder for animals due to a prolonged dry spell and high temperature.
Rains in Dharamsala and Kangra, meanwhile, brought down the temperature by 4 to 5 degrees, an official of the Meteorological department said.
The department has predicted that western disturbance can bring more rains in Dharamshala and the surrounding areas in the coming days.
According to the department, June 1 could be the last hot day of the season, after which the maximum temperature may show a downward trend.
Several areas in the state had received mild rains on Sunday evening also. Manali recorded 15 mm of rains, followed by Keylong and Chamba 8 mm each, Dehragopipur 7 mm, Seobagh and Una 5 each and Bhuntar and Bajura 4 mm each till Monday morning.
The rain shower, however, affected traffic movement. The traffic on Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft) which was opened for tourist vehicles on Sunday was again suspended and several buses which left for Lahaul via Rohtang Pass had to return as fresh snowfall and rains made driving hazardous.