Tag: Skiing

Mild rainfall in Kullu-Manali and snowfall in high altitude peaks around the district have sent the mercury plummeting below the normal temperature for this time of the season. The weather tower installed at Dhundi near Manali by Snow and Avalanches Study Establishment indicated that the hill resort recorded a minimum temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The maximum day temperature was recorded at only 14.3 degrees Celsius, around 10 degrees below the normal. Rohtang Pass, Deo Tibba, Hanuman Tibba, Makarved, Shikarved, Hamta Pass and adjoining peaks continued receiving more snow. The cold weather has added to the fun of tourists in Manali. Wrapped in their woollens, tourists enjoyed skiing, sledging and snow fights in Marhi, 35km beyond Manali. This is for the second consecutive year that Rohtang continued receiving frequent summer snowfall. To see fresh snowfall, over 20,000 tourists are thronging Marhi every day. Kulang, Kothi, Ruar, Solang, Majhach and many other villages of Manali are still shivering like winters. A resident of Majhach village Nanak Chand said, "We haven't been able to take off our warm clothes this year. The difference between summer and winter has become thin." Villagers are resorting to bonfires to keep the cold at bay. Those who earn their livelihood through tourism are happy that the mercury has gone down this summer. Maan Dass, a professional photographer, said Rohtang was experiencing light but frequent spells of snowfall and the tourist inflow had increased. "The low temperature has slowed the melting of snow at Rohtang. That's good for all of us," he said. Not just snowfall, Kullu district has received 20% more rain than normal. However, neighbouring Lahaul-Spiti district is reeling under draught-like situation with 50% less rain than it actually receives.