Biting cold wave in HP; MeT dept forecasts more snow, rain

Biting cold wave conditions continued in most parts of Himachal Pradesh with high altitude areas receiving fresh snowfall today, even as the weather department issued a warning for heavy to very heavy rain or snow on January 24 and 25.
A fresh Western Disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation is seen over north-east Afghanistan and neighborhood and under its influence, an induced upper air cyclonic circulation is likely to affect western Himalayan region from January 23 to January 27, the MeT office said.
It also warned that heavy to very heavy rain/snow is likely to occur over isolated places on January 24 and 25 and scattered heavy snowfall is expected on January 26.

The high altitude tribal areas continued to reel under biting cold wave conditions with minimum temperatures staying 15 to 22 degrees below the freezing point.
High altitude areas Khadrala and Kalpa recorded 6cm of fresh snow, while Rohru and Nahan recorded 4mm rain, followed by Dharampur 2mm.
Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of minus 6.7 degrees and minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali and Solan 2.0, Shimla 4.0, Sundernagar 4.8, Bhuntar 5.0, Palampur and Nahan 7.5, Dharamsala 7.8 and Una 8.6 degrees Celsius.

All natural sources of water like lakes, springs, rivulets and tributaries of major rivers were frozen, drastically reducing the discharge of water in snow-fed Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers, affecting hydropower generation.

Maximum temperatures rose by a few notches in several places and Una in Shiwalik foothills adjoining Punjab was the hottest with a high of 23.2 degrees Celsius, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded day temperatures at 21.9 and 21.5, followed by Solan 19.5, Nahan 18.3, Shimla 15.6, Dharamsala 15.4, Manali 10.5 and Kalpa 5.4 degrees Celsius.
The administration is making preparations to cope with heavy snowfall, and men and machinery are being put in place to immediately start restoration operation to minimise inconvenience to the people.