Shimla, May 30 (UNI) Thunderstorms accompanied by torrential rainfall and gusty winds battered six districts of Himachal Pradesh on Friday morning, partly disrupting daily life in the hill state.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the early spell is part of pre-monsoon activity influenced by a strong cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Shimla, Solan, Bilaspur, Una, Sirmaur, and Hamirpur districts were among the worst affected. Intense rainfall, gusty winds blowing at 40–50 kmph, and isolated hailstorms were reported between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
In several areas of Shimla, drains overflowed and stormwater entered homes after breaching the normal course. Torrential rain darkened the skies and forced residents to stay indoors as normal life remained paralysed for over an hour and a half.
In the wake of the extreme weather, flight operations, road traffic, and power supply were hit in several regions. The IMD issued a yellow alert for most parts of the state and an orange alert for three districts, warning of continued thunderstorm activity, intense spells of rain, and the possibility of hail in isolated pockets over the next few days.
Monsoon may hit HP ten days earlier.
“The Southwest Monsoon is expected to arrive in Himachal Pradesh between June 15 and 17, almost 10 days ahead of schedule,” said an IMD official. “This is due to strong cyclonic activity and moisture-laden winds already advancing the monsoon through the southern peninsula.”
The weather office has forecast that light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms will continue to affect several districts, including Mandi and Kullu, over the next 48 hours. Other regions such as Kangra, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur may also receive light rainfall.
The early monsoon arrival is a significant meteorological development, but the accompanying weather disturbances have triggered concern among residents and farmers, especially in landslide-prone areas. The state disaster management authorities have been directed to stay alert.
Frequent pre-monsoon spells and cyclonic weather patterns may continue until the full onset of the monsoon, according to IMD’s extended outlook. Residents have been advised to follow local advisories and avoid venturing into vulnerable areas during adverse conditions.
UNI ML ARN