Shimla, July 7 (Reporter) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today downgraded the red alert to a yellow alert for Himachal Pradesh, offering a brief respite from the incessant monsoon rain. The improved weather has allowed disaster response teams to accelerate relief and rescue efforts in rain-battered districts. Bright sunshine returned to many parts of the state, including Shimla and Mandi, which had witnessed continuous heavy rainfall and landslide threats for over two weeks. The change is linked to a shift in synoptic conditions. According to IMD, “The monsoon trough at mean sea level now passes through Bhatinda, Meerut, Badaun, Lucknow, Varanasi, Hazaribagh, centre of the Low-Pressure Area over Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood, and thence east-southeastwards to northeast Bay of Bengal.” Furthermore, “The trough now runs from south Rajasthan to the above cyclonic circulation associated with the Low-Pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood across central Madhya Pradesh, north Chhattisgarh, and south Jharkhand between 3.1 km and 7.6 km above mean sea level, tilting southwards with height.” “The upper air cyclonic circulation over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Punjab now lies over north Haryana and adjoining Himachal Pradesh at 1.5 km above mean sea level.” Rainfall, though reduced, has still been observed at several locations: BBMB (58 mm), Nangal Dam (56 mm), Olinda (46 mm), Berthin (44.6 mm), Una (43 mm), and Naina Devi (36.4 mm). Gusty winds reached 44 km/h in Seobagh, 41 km/h in Bajaura, 39 km/h in Kufri, and 37 km/h in Shimla. Thunderstorms occurred in Sundernagar, Murari Devi, and Kangra. Despite today’s clear skies, the rainfall so far has been excessive. Mandi recorded 191.4 mm against a normal of 51.3 mm—a 273 per cent surplus. Shimla logged 101.7 mm, 234 p c above average. Una, Hamirpur, and Kangra also reported rainfall significantly higher than the seasonal norms. With heavy rain likely to persist at isolated places till July 10, officials urge residents to stay alert even as temporary relief brings cautious optimism...////...