People in North India are experiencing a sudden nip in the air as temperatures fall over the weekend after rain in several parts of the region. Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, a popular mountain destination known for its landscapes and apple orchards, recorded the season's first snowfall on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more snow in higher reaches on Monday. Heavy rain has also triggered mudslides and shooting stones, blocking stretches of National Highway-05 for motorists in the region.
The rain is expected to continue across Himachal Pradesh until September 29, after which the weather is likely to remain clear until October 3, according to the IMD.
Light snowfall was also reported around Rohtang Pass in Kullu district, while several areas, including Shimla, received light to moderate rain.
Rajesh Sharma, a tourism stakeholder in Manali, told news agency PTI that the weather changed in the valley on Thursday morning.
Jaya, a tourist from Mumbai visiting Manali, said the weather was quite cold on Thursday, with light rain continuing since morning.
Not just Himachal Pradesh, parts of Uttarakhand also witnessed snowfall in the high-altitude areas.
Due to the rain and snowfall, temperatures have dropped at two of the famous shrines in Uttarakhand - Hemkund Sahib and Badrinath Dham; in fact, Hemkund Sahib is covered under a blanket of snow.
The weather has changed dramatically in the past few days, a phenomenon that experts link to rising temperatures and changing climate patterns.
The IMD has issued a warning for torrential rainfall and thunder strikes in Uttarakhand. The districts under red alert are Dehradun, Tehri, Haridwar, and Pauri. Heavy rainfall is also anticipated in Himachal Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh.
On Sunday, the weather department predicted rainfall in Delhi over the next three days.
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