Intense cold wave conditions continue in higher hills, tribal

The mid and higher hills and tribal areas in Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under intense cold wave conditions as night temperatures stayed below normal and high altitude tribal areas groaned under arctic conditions with mercury staying 16 to 21 degrees Celsius below freezing point.
The local MeT office has warned of heavy rains or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills on February 4 and 5 and rains and snow at isolated paces from February 4 onwards as a fresh western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over west Iran and neighbourhood, and is likely to affect the Himalayan region.

The region had a dry day but Kalpa received 1 cm of snow and Khadrala 2 mm rains, and minimum temperatures dropped by few notches.
Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded minimum temperature at minus 11.8 degrees Celsius, while Kalpa and Manali recorded a low of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Bhuntar 3.0 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar andSolan 4.0 degrees Celsius, Shimla 4.9 degrees Celsius and and Dharamsala 7.4 degrees Celsius.
The maximum temperatures rose by two to three degrees and Una recorded a high of 24.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Sundernagar 21.7 degrees Celsius, Dharmshala 15.2 degrees Celsius and Shimla 15.1 degrees Celsius.

The apple growers are a happy lot as the rains and snow for the past one month has provided required chilling hours and moisture for the expected bumper apple crop.