Orange alert issued in Himachal after squall and rain hit Shimla and nearby areas

On Thursday, a strong squall and heavy rain hit Shimla and nearby tourist places like Kufri and Chharabra. These weather events reduced visibility to just a few metres and made people run indoors for safety. The local weather office shared that the sky remained cloudy the entire day. In the evening, a sudden squall arrived, bringing strong winds, lightning, and rain.

The weather turned dangerous quickly. Tourists and local people had to seek shelter due to the sudden change in conditions. The storm also disrupted normal life. The weather office later issued an "orange alert" for several parts of Himachal Pradesh. This means people should stay alert and be ready to take safety steps if needed.

The orange alert included warnings about thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and gusty winds. Wind speeds were expected to reach up to 30-40 km/h in Shimla and even higher — up to 40-50 km/h — in some other areas like Una, Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Chamba. The alert is valid for the next 12 hours, until Friday morning.

Along with this, a yellow alert was issued for Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. These places may also see thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds reaching 30-40 km/h till 9 am Friday. A yellow alert is slightly less serious than an orange alert but still calls for caution.

More rain predicted till May 7

The weather department said this wet spell may continue until May 7. From Thursday to Sunday, many parts of Himachal Pradesh may experience lightning and gusty winds reaching up to 30-50 km/h. A fresh western disturbance is expected to affect the western Himalayan region starting May 2. This disturbance is likely to bring more rain and unstable weather conditions.

From Friday to Sunday, people can expect light to moderate rainfall in various areas of the state. The meteorological station warned that this would be spread across different districts and would not be limited to only high-altitude places.

On Thursday, temperatures behaved differently across the region. The minimum temperature rose by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in many places. For example, Keylong recorded a low of 5.5°C. This indicates that nights are becoming a little warmer in some parts of the state.

However, maximum temperatures remained mostly the same. Una recorded the highest temperature in the state at 38.2°C. The weather department also said that both minimum and maximum temperatures may drop again in the next 4-5 days. Minimum temperatures could fall by 2-5°C, while maximum temperatures might go down by 2-4°C.

Himachal Pradesh also experienced less than usual rainfall in April. The average rainfall for the month was only 40.8 mm, while the normal average is 64 mm. This shows a rainfall deficit of 36 per cent.

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Out of the 12 districts in Himachal, 10 received less rain than normal in April. Only Bilaspur and Hamirpur received normal or better rainfall. The remaining 10 districts showed rainfall shortages between 5% and 44%.

This shortage could affect the water availability and farming activities in the coming months, especially if the dry weather continues after this brief wet spell. The weather department's alert is aimed at keeping people safe and prepared for any emergencies caused by strong winds or heavy rain.

In conclusion, the recent storm and rainfall in Himachal Pradesh have led the weather department to issue alerts and warn people to remain cautious. The weather is expected to stay unsettled until at least May 7, with more rain and winds predicted. Tourists and locals are advised to stay indoors during bad weather and follow safety instructions from authorities.