Winter takes hold in Himachal: Temperatures plunge, fog alerts issued for weekend
Himachal Pradesh is feeling the full chill of winter as temperatures across the state continue to drop sharply. The mercury has fallen by five degrees, with Friday’s high of 28.4°C recorded in Dhaulkuan, Sirmaur district—marking a notable decline as no region hit 30°C, signaling the arrival of winter.
This cooling trend isn’t ending soon, with the meteorological department issuing a yellow alert for dense fog in Mandi and Bilaspur districts over the weekend. Poor visibility is expected on both Saturday and Sunday, which could disrupt daily routines and make travel challenging.
The forecast indicates even colder days ahead, with both maximum and minimum temperatures likely to drop by another four to five degrees in the coming week. Clear skies are expected until November 10, but starting November 11, rain and snowfall are likely in the higher reaches of eight districts, including Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba.
At higher altitudes, the cold is already hitting hard. Tabo in Lahaul-Spiti saw the lowest temperatures on Thursday night, dipping to a freezing minus 3.2°C, followed closely by Kukumseri at minus 0.8°C. Keylong and Kalpa reported minimum temperatures of 3.0°C and 5.5°C, respectively.
Foggy conditions also swept over Sundarnagar, Mandi, Bilaspur, and Shimla on Friday morning and evening, adding to the wintry atmosphere. Although sunshine brought some warmth during the day, evenings were noticeably chillier, making the onset of winter palpable across the region.
Lower areas felt the cold, too, with minimum temperatures of 12.2°C in Una, 12.7°C in Hamirpur, and 13.5°C in Dharamsala. Nahan recorded the state’s highest minimum at 15.7°C, while Shimla cooled down to 11.0°C overnight, with nearby Kufri slightly warmer at 10.8°C.
As Himachal Pradesh braces for a deepening winter, residents are advised to prepare for colder days and take caution in fog-affected areas over the weekend.
