Shimla/Manali, Feb 19 (IANS) Snowfall eluded this Himachal Pradesh capital on Monday, but another tourist resort, Manali, had moderate snow.

The minimum temperature recorded at Manali was 2.8 degrees Celsius, the weather office here said.

“Manali and the hills overlooking it experienced mild to moderate spells of snow early Monday,” an official of the meteorological office here told IANS.

He said picturesque Kalpa, some 250 km from Shimla, also experienced 1.6 cm of snow. Kukumseri in Lahaul-Spiti district saw 50.6 cm snow, state’s highest, with a low of minus 0.5 degree. Keylong had 21 cm snow.

“High-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Shimla districts have been experiencing snow since early Monday. Heavy to very heavy rain and snow with thunderstorm, hail and gusty wind speed 40-50 km per hour and lightning at isolated places is likely from February 19 to 20,” the official said.

As the snowfall started, tourists started descending in Manali and the nearby hills to enjoy snowy landscape.

“We are really enjoying hurling snow at each other,” remarked Neha Garg, a tourist from New Delhi. Her husband Pankaj added, “They were awaiting the onset of snowfall for the past two days.”

“We are hopeful of getting a spike in tourist footfall after snow,” Manali-based hotelier Prem Thakur told IANS.

Peaks overlooking other popular tourist resorts like Kalpa, Sangla, Dharamsala and Palampur have also got fresh snow cover.

State’s lower areas, including Dharamsala, Solan, Nahan, Chamba and Mandi towns, have been experiencing cold conditions with mild rains.