Cold wave continues in Himachal; Kufri, Manali get fresh snow

Tourist spots Kufri and Manali in Himachal Pradesh witnessed a fresh bout of snowfall even as cold wave tightened its grip across the state Thursday, the meteorological department said.

Kufri in Shimla district received 5 cm snowfall, while Manali in Kullu district witnessed 3 cm snowfall from 5.30 pm on Wednesday to 8.30 am on Thursday, said Manmohan Singh, Director MeT centre Shimla.

Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district received 6.4 cm snowfall, while Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong received 5 cm snowfall and continued to be the coldest place in the state at minus 15 degrees Celsius, he said.

The minimum temperature recorded in Kalpa was minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, Singh said.

In Dalhousie, which witnessed snowfall on Wednesday, the temperature dropped to minus 0.2 degree Celsius, he said.

The state capital received light rain on Wednesday and recorded a low of 3.8 degrees Celsius, he added.

The minimum temperature in Kufri was minus 1 degree Celsius, followed by Dalhousie minus 0.2 degree Celsius and Manali 0 degree Celsius, Singh said.

The MeT has forecast heavy rain and snowfall in the high and mid-hills and thundershowers in the low-hills and plains of the state till February 1 and again on February 4 and 5.

The weather will mainly remain dry in the state on February 2 and 3, it said, adding that some places in the high hills might witness rain and snowfall on these days.