Cold wave conditions persist in Himachal Pradesh

Most parts of Himachal Pradesh reeled under biting cold wave conditions as mercury dropped by few notches to hover around freezing point in several areas of the state.
Shimla experienced coldest night of the winter with mercury dipping to 2.6 degrees C while Manali and Solan shivered at minus 1.2 deg and 0.2 deg.
Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded minimum temperatures at 1.1 deg while Una, Palampur, Nahan and Dharamsala shivered under cold with mercury dropping to 3.8 deg, 4.0 deg, 4.5 deg and Dharamsala 6.6 deg respectively.
Keylong and Kalpa in tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur recorded minimum temperature at minus 6.2 deg and minus 3.4 deg while high altitude tribal areas groaned under piercing cold wave conditions with mercury staying between minus 10 and minus 16 deg C.

All natural sources of water were frozen in high altitude tribal areas, drastically reducing the discharge of water in snowfed Beas, Ravi and Sutlej Rivers and affecting hydropower generation.
The maximum temperatures also dropped by two to three degree and Sundernagar was hottest during the day with a high of 19.0 deg while Bhuntar and Una recorded maximum temperature at 18.8 deg and 18.4 deg, followed by Nahan 17.2 deg, Solan 17.0 deg ,Dharamsala 16.4 deg, Shimla 12.4 deg, Manali 11.0 deg and Kalpa 8.0 deg C.
The MeT office has predicted rains, snow and thunderstorm in mid and higher hills from December 21 onwards, raising hopes for a white Christmas.