Hailstorm in Shimla amid orange alert; rain lashes Kufri, Kangra

Snowfall in Shimla (file photo)

Shimla and its surrounding area of Jubbarhatti were lashed by hailstorm, while several places in Himachal Pradesh received rains, the weather office said on Friday.

Gusty winds were witnessed in Kufri, Bilapsur, Reckong Peo, Bajura, Narkanada and Tabo while thunderstorm occurred in Shimla, Jubbarhatti, Sundernagar, Jot, Bhuntar, Murari Devi, Kufri and Kangra, the Met said.

Since Thursday evening, Solan received 39 mm of rain followed by Ghaghas 33.8 mm, Raipur Maidan 26.6 mm, Bilapsur 26 mm, Rajgarh 25 mm, Mehre Barsar 25 mm, baggi 22.9 mm, Pachhad 20 mm, Olinda 17.8 mm, Kufri and Neri 17 mm each, Slapper 16.9 mm and Shimla 11 mm.

The Met station has issued an orange alert of hailstorm at isolated places in the state on Friday and orange and yellow warning of thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds with a speed of up to 30-50 kmph till next Thursday.

The minimum temperature dropped by 2-5 degrees Celsius at many places in the state and Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a low of 5.6 degree Celsius.

In its outlook for the month of May, the weather department said the mean maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to stay above normal over most parts and above normal heat wave days would be over many parts of low hills/plains and adjoining mid hills of Himachal Pradesh.

Further, above normal rainfall is likely over many parts of low hills/plains and adjoining mid hills of the state and near normal over rest parts of the state, it added.