Yellow weather warning issued for heavy snowfall rain in HP

(Eds: Adding Fresh Prediction)
    Shimla, Feb 19 (PTI) The Meteorological department has issued fresh yellow weather warning for heavy snowfall in high, mid hills and rains in low hill, plains of Himachal Pradesh on February 20 and 21, an official said Tuesday.
     There will be high moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea over northwest India, specifically over the Western Himalayan Region (WHR) due to the western disturbance and this may cause heavy rain and snowfall in the state on Wednesday and Thursday, Met officials here said.
     The roads are likely to get blocked especially in Shimla, Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts because of moderate to heavy snowfall during the period, they said, adding that thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm, lightning and gusty wind will also occur at isolated places over the lower parts of the state on these days.
     Shimla received 7 cm of snowfall, Kufri (35 cm), Dalhousie (35 cm) and Mashobra (3 cm) between 5.30 pm Monday and 8.30 am Tuesday, the weather office said, adding that several parts also received light rains.
     The tribal district Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong and Kinnaur's Kalpa also received 5 and 22 cm of snowfall, respectively, they said.
     The fresh snowfall on Tuesday has brought down the temperature in most parts of the state with Keylong continuing to be the coldest place at minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, Kufri (minus 1.7 degrees), Chail (minus 0.2 degrees), Dalhousie (minus 0.4 degrees), Shimla (0.5 degrees) and 0.8 degrees Celsius in Manali, the weatherman said.
     The Met office issues colour-coded warnings to alert the public ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause "damage, widespread disruption and/or danger to life."
     Yellow is the least dangerous out of the weather warnings - it indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days that could affect the public. PTI DJI MAZ CK