Spiti Valley’s Seasons First Snow Fall Creates Wonderland (image-pixabay)

As winter approaches the North India, Lahaul-Spiti received season’s first snowfall on Friday night. Generally, it starts snowing in the month of November and continues till March. But this year, the snowfall arrived bit earlier.

The sudden drop in the temperature was unexpected. The farmers in the area poses challenges as they are yet to harvest offseason vegetables including apple in Lahaul-spiti.

The winter season in Spiti is usually harsh with temperatures dropping below freezing levels during winter. The high land Ramsar sites of Chandratal and Kunzum pass have been temporally closed due to snowfall. The Manali-Leh highway was also closed near Darcha after the high reaches of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul- Spiti district received its fresh spell of snow on Friday night.

Lahaul-Spiti superintendent of police Mayank Chaudhary said on Saturday that snowfall was reported in Koksar, Baralacha La, Rohtang Pass, Shinkula and Jingjingbar, prompting the authorities to suspend traffic beyond Darcha. “There has been snowfall at Chandertal and the district police have removed its check post from there. Locals and tourists are urged to avoid travel to the high-altitude glacial lake,” he said, reports Hindustan times.

Rohtang and Kanjum also witnessed snowflakes however traffic movement is smooth.

Keylong was the coldest place in the state recording a minimum of 6 degrees Celsius. The weather department has forecast rain and snow in the higher reaches till October 2.

Spiti, one of the tourists favourite spot, is an extremely cold valley freckled with green patches, fascinating valleys, windswept landscapes and quiet villages. Spiti is also know as ‘the middle land’ as Spiti valley separates India from Tibet.