Cold wave conditions in Himachal, white New Year eludes Shimla

A white New Year eluded thousands of tourists gathered in the city even as cold wave conditions persisted in higher hills and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh today.
As per the MeT department, the minimum temperatures rose marginally at Keylong in tribal Lahaul while Siti district was coldest in the region with a low of minus 6.2 degree.
The tourist spot of Manali and Bhuntar shivered at zero degree, followed by Kalpa 1.8 degree, Sundernagar 2.5 degree, Solan 3.6 degree, Palampur 5.0 degree, Una 5.7 degree, Dharamsala 6.6 degree, Shimla 7.7 degree and Nahan 9.2 degree Celsius.
The maximum temperatures also dropped by few notches and Sundernagar, Solan and Una recorded a high of 21.4 degree, a drop of two degrees since yesterday, the department said.

Bhuntar recorded maximum day temperature at 19.5 degree, followed by Nahan 18.5 degree, Dharamshala 16.6 degree, Shimla 16.0 degree, Manali 14.4 degree and Kalpa10.0 degree Celsius.
The sky remained overcast in the region and strong velocity icy winds swept the region, raising hopes of snowfall in next two to three days, it said.
The local MeT office predicted dry weather tomorrow and rains or snow in mid and higher hills from January 4 onwards due to an induced upper air cyclonic circulation that lies over north Rajasthan and neighbourhood and extends up to 0.9 km above mean sea level.