Spiti, Sept 27: The high-altitude landscape of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh witnessed the arrival of seasonal snowfall, bringing an early winter chill to the valley and prompting official weather warnings for surrounding areas. Snowfall was similarly recorded in the Pooh tehsil of Kinnaur district, alongside widespread rain across key towns including Dharamshala and Shimla. Weather authorities declared that the present meteorological system would sustain light to moderate showers across the middle hills until the end of the month, followed by a transition to dry conditions through October 2.
The broader weather system generated significant operational disruptions and safety hazards across northern India. Heavy rains fueled by a deep depression caused severe inundation in Uttar Pradesh, where 63 districts logged above-normal rainfall totals. Severe precipitation, accompanied by strong wind gusts, resulted in crop damage and structural losses exceeding 100 homes. Local administrators maintained that extreme rainfall events were observed in Farrukhabad, Hardoi, and Kanpur Dehat, creating localized flash flood conditions.
Further east in Jharkhand, torrential rainfall led to elevated river levels, with the Kharkai River surging 4.50 metres beyond its safety mark. The inclement weather disrupted air travel at Ranchi’s primary airport, leading to multiple flight cancellations and mandatory school closures across Ranchi and Jamshedpur. In Uttarakhand, public safety precautionary measures led to the temporal halt of the Char Dham Yatra. Regional meteorological warnings in Uttarakhand kept schools closed in five affected districts while high-altitude reaches continued to receive intermittent snow. Delhi recorded lower-than-average temperatures with maximums dropping over five degrees below normal alongside improved air quality standards across the capital.
