Shimla/Keylong, Jun 1: Moderate to heavy rains lashed most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, while Chansel in Rohru near Shimla district received 45 cm of snow, causing a sharp fall in minimum and maximum temperatures.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened the Manali-Kaza highway via the Kunzum Pass during the day for light vehicles. The decision was taken after an inspection of road conditions by officers of the BRO and the local administration, Lahaul and Spiti Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar said. Himachal Pradesh Weather Forecast: MeT Office Issues 'Yellow' Alert for Thunderstorm, Lightning Till May 6.

The road will be open for traffic from 8 am to 2 pm, and crossing Kunzum Pass before 5 pm will be compulsory, he said. It will remain open for tourists visiting Chandratal Lake and an advisory will be issued in case weather conditions worsen and visitors would register entry at Losar and Gramphoo checkposts, Kumar added.

Dharmpur received the highest of 87 mm rainfall, Kasauli 80 mm, Kahu 75 mm, Jatton Barrage 73 mm, Una 68 mm, Sangrah 58 mm, Sri Naina Devi 54 mm, Solan 52 mm, Rajgarh 49 mm, Kandaghat 47 mm, Una 46 mm, Ghamroor and Khadrala 45 mm each, Dehra Gopipur 43 mm, Renukaji and Berthin 42 mm each, Bilaspur, Rohru and Shimla 40 mm each, and Arki and Rampur Bushahar 39 mm each, according to the weather office. Himachal Pradesh Weather Forecast: Moderate to Heavy Rainfall With Thunderstorm Likely in State During Next 48 Hours, Says IMD.

The meteorological department has issued a yellow warning of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (with speeds of 30-40 kmph) at isolated places on June 2 and 3, and predicted light to moderate rains in the mid-hills and light to moderate rains or snow in the higher hills from June 2 to 5.

The maximum temperatures plummeted after the rains and stayed five to 12 degrees below normal. Hamirpur was the hottest at a high of 30.4 degrees Celsius, 6.8 degrees below normal. The minimum temperatures crashed to 4.5 degrees Celsius in Keylong, 15.1 degrees below normal, and settled at 7.6 degrees and 6.7 degrees below normal in Dharamsala and Shimla.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)