Himachal Weather Update: Crops damaged due to hailstorms, alert for rain issued

April 6, 2026

A ‘Yellow Alert’ has been issued by the Meteorological Department. Rain and hailstorms continued across nine districts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, accompanied by snowfall in the mountainous regions. The capital city of Shimla and Bilaspur received rainfall. Solan, Sirmaur, Kullu, Kangra, Hamirpur, and Mandi witnessed hailstorms in addition to rain. Now, today also, a yellow alert has been predicted for various districts of the states.

Damage to crops by Hailstorm

The hailstorms have caused damage to crops, particularly apples. In several locations, the hailstorm was so intense that even the protective nets installed to safeguard the apple orchards were torn apart.

Crops in the districts of Sirmaur, Upper Shimla, and Kullu have suffered significant damage due to the hailstorms. In Ani, the hailstones were powerful enough to tear through the protective nets covering the apple trees. In Sirmaur district, specifically in areas such as Pachhad and Rajgarh, the combination of hailstorms and gusty winds inflicted heavy damage upon vegetable crops, wheat fields, and fruit-bearing trees.

Snowfall in high-altitude areas 

Intermittent snowfall persisted in the mountainous areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba, Kullu, and Mandi. Panic ensued near the North Portal of the Atal Tunnel when a block of snow slid down from the peaks of the Pir Panjal range. At the time of the incident, several tourists were enjoying themselves amidst the snow on the Manali-Leh Highway, across the Chandra River. Fortunately, the falling snow block caused no injuries or damage.

Alert for Gusty Winds in Mandi and Shimla Today; Hailstorms Expected in Several Areas Tomorrow

The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a forecast for Monday, warning of lightning and gusty winds in the Mandi and Shimla districts. A new Western Disturbance is set to impact Northwest India starting April 7.

Similarly, on April 7 and 8, several districts may experience winds gusting at speeds of 40–60 km/h, accompanied by hailstorms. Rain is likely in some locations on April 9. The weather is forecast to remain dry on April 10 and 11.