Dehradun, Winter made an abrupt and heavy return to Uttarakhand on Friday as Badrinath, Kedarnath and other high-altitude areas were buried under a thick layer of white.
The region recorded its heaviest snowfall in the month of March in recent years, with a relentless downpour in the plains and lower hills sending daytime temperatures into a freefall and triggering severe cold conditions across the state.
Various districts reported significant snow accumulation, including in Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Auli.
According to the Rudraprayag District Disaster Centre, Kedarnath Dham recorded four feet of snow by Friday evening, with the snowfall continuing.
The Chamoli district administration said fresh snow has covered all high-altitude areas, with Badrinath recording two feet of snow by late evening.
In the plains, including Dehradun and Haridwar, rain that began on Thursday evening persisted throughout Friday. This downpour led to a major drop in daytime temperatures.
Data from the Dehradun Meteorological Centre showed the city’s maximum temperature at 17.4 degrees Celsius, which is 11 degrees below normal and nearly 10 degrees lower than Thursday’s high.
Other regions also saw a major dip. Pantnagar recorded a maximum of 22 degrees Celsius, while Tehri and Mukteshwar recorded highs of 8.4 and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively. These places recorded a drop of 4.6, 7.6 and 8.5 degrees compared to the previous day.
The Met Office had earlier forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms for most districts, with snow expected in areas above 3,000 metres.
An ‘Orange Alert’ remains in place for Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Champawat and Pithoragarh due to the possibility of heavy rain, snow, hailstorms and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph. A ‘Yellow Alert’ was issued for Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri, Pauri, Almora and Nainital.
While weather conditions are expected to improve by Saturday morning, weather department officials said that light rain may continue in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh and other hill districts till March 26.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
