April Snow Returns: Himachal Wakes Up to a Surprise Winter Morning as Snow Spreads Beyond Kufri
Shimla, April 8,
Himachal Pradesh slipped back into winter on Tuesday morning as fresh snowfall spread across several tourist destinations since early hours, giving April an unseasonal twist and catching both residents and visitors off guard. While Kufri officially recorded around 1.4 cm of snowfall in the past 24 hours, reports through the morning indicated that the spell extended beyond a single location, with Fagu, Narkanda and adjoining higher reaches also receiving fresh snow, briefly restoring peak winter-like visuals across the hills.
The widespread snowfall, coupled with continuous rain, has sharply pulled down temperatures across the state. Maximum temperatures have dropped by 3 to 9 degrees Celsius and are now 2 to 9 degrees below normal, while minimum temperatures too remain below seasonal averages at several stations. Shimla recorded a minimum of 4.8°C, Jubberhatti 7.5°C, Manali 6.9°C and Kalpa 3.0°C, while Tabo at 0.1°C remained the coldest in the state. Even lower and mid-hill regions reported subdued temperatures, with Dharamshala at 10.8°C, Mandi at 12.2°C, Solan at 9.5°C and Una at 11.5°C. In the plains, Paonta Sahib recorded 17.0°C, still below normal for this time of the year, while Kukumseri in the higher reaches hovered near freezing at 0.6°C.
Rainfall was widespread and accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in parts of Shimla, Sundernagar and Palampur, intensifying the chill and disrupting normal movement. The sudden spread of snowfall across multiple tourist belts in a single morning has made this spell particularly striking for April, a month when the region typically transitions into spring. Tourist spots like Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda quickly turned into snow-covered attractions once again, drawing visitors even as authorities urged caution due to slippery roads and changing weather conditions.
The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has indicated that the weather is likely to remain unstable, with chances of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds in isolated areas. A fresh western disturbance expected from April 11 may further prolong the prevailing conditions, suggesting that Himachal could continue to witness extended winter-like weather despite the advancing season.
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