HP: Snowfall in higher reaches; rains in mid, lower hills

Wintry conditions prevailed in many parts of Himachal Pradesh today as the mercury dropped by four to five degrees, following moderate snowfall in high altitude tribal areas and higher reaches and scattered rains in mid and lower hills.
High altitude tribal areas and Dhauladhar and Churdhar ranges in Kangra and Sirmaur districts had another spell of moderate snowfall.
The minimum temperature plummeted to 3.2 degrees Celsius in Kalpa and 3.9 degrees in Keylong in tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, while key tourist resort of Manali recorded a minimum temperature of 5.0 degrees, more than four notches below normal.

Minimum temperature dropped by 5.4 degrees to settle at 9.4 degrees Celsius at Bhuntar while Una, Solan and Sundernagar recorded lows of 10.0, 10.2 and 10.8 degrees, respectively.
The minimum temperature at Shimla and Palampur settled at 11.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Nahan 14.5 and Dharamsala 15.0 degrees.
Gohar in Mandi district was the wettest with 67-mm rainfall while Dehragopipur, Sarkaghat and Kheri received rainfall of 38-mm, 34-mm and 31-mm, respectively.

Kumarsain recorded 26-mm rains, followed by Dharamsala 24-mm, Kasauli 23-mm, Sarahan and Ghamroor 22-mm each, Gaggal 20-mm, Solan 19-mm, Bangana 16-mm, Bharmaur 15-mm, and Mandi and Sundernagar 14-mm each.

Shimla which was lashed by storm recoded 13-mm rains till this evening.
The Dhauladhar and Churdhar ranges as also Rohtang, Kunzam, Pin Parvati and other high mountain tribal areas had moderate snowfall.
However, the maximum temperatures rose marginally as the region had some relief from inclement weather and sun shone over large tracts of land.
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather in the region over next three days, and rains and thundershowers in mid hills on October 19 and 20.