Cold wave conditions persist in Himachal

Cold wave conditions persisted in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday with popular tourist hotspots shivering at sub-zero temperatures in the state, the MeT office said.

The minimum temperature decreased by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, Shimla MeT Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.

Kufri recorded a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali (minus 4.4 degrees Celsius), Dalhousie (minus 2.4 degrees Celsius) and Shimla (minus 0.6 degrees Celsius).

However, tribal district Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state with the minimum temperature settling at minus 14.6 degrees Celsius, he added.

Another tribal district Kinnaur's Kalpa recorded a low of minus 8.4 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature was 1 to 2 degrees Celsius below normal. The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 21 degrees Celsius.

As per data recorded at 8.30 am on Sunday, Khadrala and Kothi witnessed 5 cm snowfall each, followed by Bijahi 3 cm, Chhatarari 2 cm, Theog and Sarahan 1 cm each.

Besides Shimla received 0.8 cm snowfall, whereas Kalpa got 0.6 cm snowfall in last 24 hours, Singh said.

Sujanpur Tira received 25 mm rain, followed by Sundernagar 23 mm, Dehra Gopipur 14 mm, Nadaun 9 mm, Mandi 8 mm, Kahu and Mehre 7 mm each, Palampur 6 mm, Pandoh 5 mm, Solan and Hamirpur 4 mm each, Berthin, Banjar and Jubbal 3 mm each, Naina Devi, Nagrota Suriyan Bharari, Guler, Aghar, Una and Bhuntar 2 mm each in last 24 hours.

The Meteorological (MeT) Centre has forecast rains, snowfall in middle and the higher hills as well as thudershowers in the plains and lower hills of the state from January 20-22.