(Updated on Wednesday, 3 p.m)
A fresh western disturbance progressing towards the northern parts of India is likely to cause widespread snow and rain in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
A regional IMD spokesperson from the Met centre in Shimla said that the weather in the state currently remains cloudy, with scanty snowfall restricted only to the higher and mountainous regions like Keylong.
He added that the lower and middle regions of Himachal Pradesh are likely to witness moderate snow and rain tonight. Day-time temperatures in the snow-affected regions may fall by 4-5°C, whereas night-time temperatures may witness minimal or no drops.
Meanwhile, The Weather Channel's meteorologists have predicted that there will be possible snow accumulation of 20-25 cm in 12 hours in isolated regions of the state on higher reaches. Snow storms may possibly trigger local avalanches in the region.
The Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) advised people on Tuesday to keep away from avalanche-prone slopes in Shimla, Chamba, Lahaul- Spiti, Kullu and Kinnaur districts.
Compared to previous years, this January has been particularly cold for Himachal Pradesh; the state has witnessed incessant snowfall and rains, caused by a series of western disturbances. "Last year, there was very less snow, and it was mainly restricted to the higher reaches. Compared to that, this has been a very cold winter for the state," the official said.
Fairly widespread to widespread rain/snow is expected in the first week of February, with another WD expected to hit the state on the 4th, said the IMD official.
The plunge in temperatures over the past month has proved to be both, a boon as well as a bane for the state. Scores of tourists have been heading to places like Shimla, along with Manali, Narkanda and Kufri to enjoy the sight of snow-blanketed streets and slopes. However, heavy snow in many of the roads connecting these regions caused the roads to be shut down and badly affected traffic.
According to a report published in the TOI, the Public Works Department (PWD) has cleared most of the blocked roads in the region. The report also quoted an official saying that that, the process of restoring electricity supply in the region is underway.
