Shimla: In Himachal Pradesh, 104 roads and three national highways have been closed due to rain and snowfall. According to the administration, there are 99 blocked roads in Lahaul and Spiti, three in Kullu, and one in each of Chamba and Kangra. In addition, rain in Kangra caused the collapse of a bridge; a replacement bridge is anticipated to be built by the end of this month. The Manali-Keylong Highway's large landslide at Selfie Point, close to Sissu, has forced the suspension of vehicular traffic to Keylong.
A yellow signal has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for thunderstorms with lightning on April 22 and 23, with isolated locations in numerous regions of Himachal Pradesh. According to IMD's estimate, there is a chance that the southwest monsoon may bring above-average rainfall to the entire nation. The IMD projects 106% (87 cm) of seasonal rainfall in 2024, which is likely to be above average from June to September. For the four-month monsoon season, the Long Period Average (LPA) is 868.6 mm (86.86 cm). Furthermore, El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions are predicted by the Monsoon Mission Climate Forecast System (MMCFS) and other climate models, with a weakening of El Nino conditions in the early monsoon season.
Additionally, IMD reported that the snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has been below average for the past three months, from January to March 2024. Such a departure from average for the amount of snow cover can have an effect on future monsoon season weather patterns.
