Cold conditions tighten grip in HP

Several areas in mid and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh shivered under severe cold conditions as mercury stayed below 5 degrees Celsius.
The state capital was warmest with a low of 12.1 degrees Celsius, 5.2 degrees above normal at Shimla.
While Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded minimum temperatures at minus 2.1 degree and 2.4 degree, Bhuntar in Kullu district and Sundernagar in Mandi district reeled under freezing cold wave conditions with minimum temperature sliding to 1 degree Celsius and 1.6 degrees Celsius while Manali recorded a low of 2.4 degrees Celisus.
Solan recorded minimum temperature at 4.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Palampur 6 degrees Celsius, Una 7.4, Dharamsala 10.2 and Nahan 10.7 degrees Celsius.

The local MeT office predicted rains or thundershowers in mid hills tomorrow and rains or snow at isolated places in higher hills tomorrow and day after it and dry weather in rest of the state over next six days, adding to the anxiety of farmers.
The dry spell is continuing in the state for past 70 days and the farmers who have completed Rabi sowing are keeping their fingers crossed and praying for early rains, which are 92 per cent deficit from October 1 to December 9.
However, maximum temperatures remained steady and Una was hottest during the day with a high of 27.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Solan 25.5, Sundernagar and Bhuntar 22.5, Nahan 21, Shimla 20. 6 and Dharamshala 19.8 degrees Celsius.