E-Paper
Mercury plunges across Himachal; mild snow in Shimla
Rain witnessed at isolated places across the state
Cold wave conditions continue to grip Himachal Pradesh with the minimum and maximum temperatures plummeting several notches below freezing the point, even as the skies cleared on Sunday after two days of snow and rains.
Most of the water sources in tribal areas, including Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and parts of Chamba, have partially frozen, resulting in scarcity of drinking water.
Keylong, the administrative centre of Lahaul and Spiti, continued to be the coldest place in the state at -12.2° Celsius—a significant dip of 6.5° C compared to the minimum temperature of -5.7° C recorded on Saturday.
The minimum temperature in another tribal district Kalpa in Kinnaur was recorded at -4.0° C. The area shivered at -2.8° C a day before.
Maximum temperature in Keylong and Kalpa was recorded at 1.4°C and 3.7° C, respectively.
Director of local Meteorological (MeT) Department, Manmohan Singh, said the minimum temperatures were 1 to 2°C below normal while the maximum temperatures were 6 to 7 ° C below normal in the state on Sunday.
SHIMLA EXPERIENCES MILD SNOW
The state capital again received mild snow on Sunday afternoon with minimum temperature dipping to 0.9° C. This was second snowfall of the season in the Queen of the Hills. The weather took a sudden turn in the afternoon as the hill town experienced a fresh bout around 3pm.
Tourists were seen rejoicing at The Mall and The Ridge, the most popular sights in the state capital, during the afternoon.
The district administration has issued an advisory to the tourists to avoid venturing into snow-bound areas besides travelling during the night due to slippery roads. Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses are plying within Shimla town and are being diverted via Basantpur and Sunni to reach Rampur Bushahr.
At least 30 link roads remain blocked in the district and men and machinery have been pressed into service for road clearance. All the main roads, including Shimla to Theog, Shimla, to Chopal, Shimla to Rohru, Shimla to Rampur Bushahr, have been cleared but remain slippery due to frequent snow and rain.
Famous tourist destinations Manali Dalhousie and Kufri recorded minimum temperature of -2.2° C, -0.3° C and -2.6°C, respectively.
Rainfall occurred at isolated places across the state while the higher reaches received a fresh spell of snow during the last 24 hours, said Singh.
The MeT department has forecast dry weather for the next three days. A fresh western disturbance is likely to be active in the region from December 19, bringing rain and snow, the official added.
