Himachal reels under cold wave conditions

Himachal continued to reel under intense cold wave conditions today even as the weather in the state remained dry.
Una in Shivalik foothills, adjoining Punjab and Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district recorded minimum temperature at minus 2.6 degree Celcius.
The mercury continued to drop in spite of dry weather. Keylong area in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recorded a low of minus 6.1 degree and minus 3.6 degree, while it hovered around the freezing point at most of the places, MeT officials said.
Bhuntar and Solan recorded a low of minus 1.0 degree and minus 0.6 degree, followed by Sundernagar and Dalhousie 0.6 degree, Chamba 1.4 degree, Shimla 1.7 degree, Dharamsala 5.8 degree and Nahan 6.2 degree Celsius.

However, Una was hottest in the region with maximum day temperature at 22.0 degree, whileKangra,Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded a low of 18.8 degree, 17. 9 degree and17.0 degree, followed by Solan 16.0 degree, Nahan 15.0 degree, Shimla 10.5 degree, Manali 10.5degree and Kalpa 8.8 degree Celsius, MeT said.
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather tomorrow, and rains or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills on December 22 and 23.
The extreme low temperature at this point of time is boon for apple crop as it would help in providing requisite chilling hours for bumper crop.