Spiti, Sept 27: Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti region has registered its first snowfall of the season, marking a sharp drop in temperatures as a wider weather system triggers heavy precipitation across northern and central India. According to officials from the India Meteorological Department, wet weather conditions are expected to persist across the region, with additional showers forecast for the coming days. The Kuno Charang belt in Kinnaur district also recorded its initial snowfall, while regional hubs including Shimla, Jubbal, and Dharamshala experienced light rainfall. Meteorologists maintain that rain will continue across Himachal Pradesh until September 29 before tapering off, leaving the plains and high hills largely dry through early October.
The atmospheric change aligns with severe weather patterns across neighbouring regions, where a depression moving north-northwest from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has prompted heavy precipitation in Uttar Pradesh. Officials confirmed six fatalities across Lakhimpur Kheri, Amethi, and Barabanki districts due to rain-related mishaps. The severe downpours destroyed over 100 housing structures and damaged standing agricultural crops across multiple districts. Lucknow registered 125.8 mm of precipitation in a 21-hour window, while regions such as Farrukhabad and Kanpur recorded rainfall levels exponentially higher than their seasonal averages.
In response to worsening conditions, state authorities in Uttarakhand suspended the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage through September 27. Educational institutions across five districts in Uttarakhand remained closed following red and orange weather alerts, as continuous rains and high-altitude snowfall affected the region. In Jharkhand, rivers including the Subarnarekha and Kharkai breached critical danger thresholds, causing widespread urban flooding in low-lying areas. Flight operations at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport faced cancellations, and schools in major districts were ordered shut. Meanwhile, the national capital, Delhi, recorded a notable drop in daytime temperatures to 29.2°C following light showers, alongside an improvement in air quality to satisfactory levels.
