Farmers & Hospitality Industry waiting for rain and snow keenly, weathermen tight-lipped
The delayed sowing of rabi crops in the mid hills of Himachal Pradesh and the hospitality industry of the state are keenly watching inclement weather conditions however weathermen are tight-lipped due to unusual trends of soaring abnormal day temperatures and mostly clear weather.
Farmers are waiting to have a light spell of rain and snow as they require some increase in wet conditions in their fields to sustain their wheat, barley, and mustered crops. Apple growers also impatiently want to do away with dust and dry soil to work in orchards.
Western disturbance is likely to advance by the next two days giving a little ray of hope. Most weathermen predict 60 percent rainfall in high rain areas like Dharmshala and high reaches.
The only hope for the state is the sudden increase in the day temperature and mainly fogless conditions which is a positive signal for the advancement of WD.
During the last 15 years, there has been a change in the weather conditions in the hills at the year’s end which is a warning signal for the hospitality industry in the state.
However, if tourists want to come to the state weather is pleasant in the foothills and mid hills but in the high reaches like Lahaul Spiti, Kinnaur Kullu, and Chamba externally slippery roads would be dangerous and five tourists who attempt to ignore local people in Kaza three days ago got rescued in most life threatening operation.
Tourist places like Manali, Shimla, Dharmshala Dalhousie, Kasouli, and Kufri are mainly sunny where one can enjoy the beautiful sunshine.
There is little hope for snow in famous hill stations, snowfall could be confined to high reaches of Himachal that are not accessible by the roads and already closed by the district administration.
Water bodies are frozen in such places and thick sheets of ice is extremely slippery and may lead to untoward mishaps. The district administration of Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur have already issued a warning to people that one should avoid the inaccessible area as it is very risky to climb in the high reaches.
IMD predicts that western disturbances may bring light rain and snowfall in isolated places in Chamba, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, and High reaches of Shimla district on December 22 and 23 however it would be mainly dry in the rest of the state and during December 24 till December 31.
