Winter’s White Spell: Shimla, Manali Receive Season’s First Snowfall After 3-Month Dry Spell
Popular Himalayan destinations transform into winter wonderlands as IMD forecasts heavy snowfall and issues cold wave alerts across North India
SHIMLA/MANALI, JANUARY 23, 2026 — After an unusually prolonged dry spell lasting over three months, the picturesque hill stations of Shimla and Manali finally witnessed their first snowfall of the season on Friday, bringing relief to tourism operators and joy to thousands of visitors who had been eagerly awaiting the white blanket.
Shimla received its first snowfall of the season after a three-month-long dry spell, while fresh snow was also reported from higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, including the popular tourist destination Manali, according to officials from the Meteorological Department.
The snowfall, which began early Friday morning, transformed the tourist destinations into more picturesque landscapes, with nearby areas like Kufri and Narkanda also experiencing snowfall. The long-awaited winter precipitation has ended what many in the tourism industry had called a disappointing start to the peak winter season.
Western Disturbance Brings Relief
Due to an intense Western disturbance, heavy rainfall and snowfall accompanied by hailstorm, lightning, and gusty winds are likely at isolated places over the Western Himalayan region on January 22nd and 23rd, with light to moderate rainfall also likely at a few places over the plains of northwest India during the same period, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials.
The meteorological center confirmed that high-altitude areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, Mandi, and Shimla districts have been experiencing moderate snow. The majestic Dhauladhar ranges in the Kangra valley also received a fresh blanket of snow cover.
In addition to the snowfall in higher reaches, Kalpa, some 250 km from the state capital, and Keylong in the Lahaul and Spiti district experienced heavy spells of snow. Lower areas including Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, and Mandi towns received rain, bringing down temperatures considerably.
Tourism Boost and Travel Advisory
The fresh snowfall has led to a surge of tourists flocking to Shimla and Manali to experience the snow-covered landscapes. “We are thankful to god for this white spell,” said Nidhi Gupta, a tourist from Punjab’s Ludhiana, who was in Shimla along with her friends.
However, the Shimla administration has issued an advisory urging people not to drive until the weather clears. The administration said higher reaches of the district, including Chopal, are also experiencing snowfall due to which the Chopal-Deha road has been blocked.
Jammu and Kashmir Also Witnesses Snowfall
The winter precipitation wasn’t limited to Himachal Pradesh alone. Moderate to heavy snowfall in high-altitude areas of the Jammu region disrupted life on Friday, forcing the suspension of traffic on key roads, including the Jammu–Srinagar national highway, and the closure of schools in hilly districts.
The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills also witnessed the first snowfall of the season, with authorities temporarily suspending the yatra as moderate rains lashed the plains, including Jammu city, ending a dry spell that had lasted over two months.
Cold Wave Alert for North Indian States
While the hills celebrate snowfall, the plains continue to shiver under severe cold wave conditions. Cold wave conditions are very likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha during the next 2 days and abate thereafter, according to IMD’s latest bulletin.
Dense fog continues to affect visibility across several northern states, disrupting air, rail, and road traffic. The weather department has advised residents to take necessary precautions against the cold and fog conditions.
Temperature Records
Keylong recorded the lowest temperature at minus 11.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Kalpa at minus 7.5°C, Kufri at minus 5°C, Dalhousie at minus 1.2°C, Shimla at minus 0.7°C, and Dharamshala at 2.2°C. The temperature at Kaza in Spiti remained below minus 25 degrees Celsius.
The meteorological office has stated that the snowy landscape in Shimla would stay for one to two days, offering tourists a brief window to enjoy the winter wonderland before conditions potentially change.
