Hottest January day to snowstorm warning in Himachal: Shimla, Manali's dramatic weather stuns tourists

Shimla recorded its highest-ever maximum temperature in January, breaking the previous high set in 2006.

On Friday, the prominent hill station town in Himachal Pradesh recorded a maximum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius -- its highest January day temperature. The previous high of 21.4 degrees Celsius was recorded on January 30, 2006.

Meanwhile, the department has issued an 'orange' alert for snowfall and rain in Shimla, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi districts on Sunday.

The local Met office said, "Highest maximum temperature recorded for the month of January on 03.01.2025 (22 degrees Celsius) in Shimla city. The previous highest maximum temperature (21.4 degrees Celsius) was recorded on January 30, 2006."

The town also recorded its second-highest minimum temperature for January at 11.5 degrees Celsius on Friday.

The Met office said the all-time high minimum temperature in Shimla was recorded on January 24, 2009, at 12.7 degrees Celsius.

Manali, another popular tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh, also recorded its second-highest minimum temperature at 7.1 degrees Celsius.

The all-time high night temperature in Manali was recorded on January 25, 2009, at 7.5 degrees Celsius.

Besides Shimla and Manali, Solan also recorded the highest maximum temperature in the month of January.

The maximum temperature reached 29 degrees Celsius in Solan breaking the record of the previous high of 27.5 degrees Celsius on January 26, 2007.

In Dharamshala, the winter capital town of the state, the maximum temperature settled at 21.7 degrees Celsius while Manali recorded a high of 15.3 degrees Celsius.

In Hamirpur a maximum temperature of 27.4 degree Celsius was registered, followed by Solan at 26 degrees Celsius, Bilaspur at 25.6 degrees Celsius, Nahan at 24.6 degrees Celsius, Kangra at 22.4 degrees Celsius, Kasauli at 21 degrees Celsius, Una at 21.6 degrees Celsius, Dharamshala at 21.7 degrees Celsius, and Bhuntar at 20 degrees Celsius.

During the past 24 hours the weather remained mostly dry across the state with most of the areasrecording maximum temperatures between 4 degrees Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius, which is above normal.

The Met office said Himachal Pradesh was expected to receive snow and rain on Sunday and Monday and it will continue in isolated areas of the middle and the higher hills on Tuesday.

According to the weather office, many places in the high and mid hill areas of the state will be receiving fresh snowfall and rainfall on January 5 and 6 while lower hills and plains will also receive rainfall during that period.

The high and mid hill areas will also receive snowfall and rain at isolated areas on January 7. Weather will remain clear throughout the state from January 8 onwards, they said.