Himachal Pradesh: Red alert for rain, snow issued in seven districts of state for February 19

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A red alert for heavy to very heavy rain and snow was issued for as many as seven districts of Himachal Pradesh for February 19, the PTI reported on Sunday.

According to the PTI, thunderstorms accompanied by hail, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour has been issued in seven of Himachal Pradesh's 12 districts for Monday.

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The Met office on Sunday sounded a red alert for Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Shimla districts in Himachal Pradesh, as per the PTI.

It has also cautioned that essential services such as electricity and water supply and communication may be affected.

A western disturbance has affected the western Himalayan region from Saturday, with snow being recorded in the higher reaches of Kullu-Manali and Lahaul and Spiti, according to reports.

Videos of snow near the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang have also become widely circulated on social media.

The Met office has also issued a yellow warning for heavy rain and snow, and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour and lightning at isolated places for February 20.

A drastic fall in day temperatures was witnessed in the state with Dhaulakuan recording a high of 22.3 degrees Celsius. Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest, recording a night temperature of minus 0.3 degree Celsius, the news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the national capital on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 26.5 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the PTI reported.

The humidity level oscillated between 100 per cent and 31 per cent during the day.

The IMD has forecast partly cloudy and misty conditions in Delhi on Monday morning, with the minimum temperature likely to settle at 9 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 27 degrees Celsius.

The weather department has also predicted rain or thundershowers with gusty winds on Monday and generally cloudy skies and moderate rain or drizzle on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi on Sunday stood at 269 in the 'poor' category, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

(with PTI inputs)