Intense cold wave continues in HP; rain, snow likely tomorrow

Intense cold wave conditions persisted across Himachal Pradesh today with the mercury staying 15 to 21 degrees Celsius below the freezing point in high altitude tribal areas and other higher hills.
The local MeT office has predicted rain or thundershower in lower hills and rain and snow in mid- and higher-hills from tomorrow and warned of heavy rain or snow at isolated places in mid- and higher-hills on February 4 and 5.
An induced upper air cyclonic circulation over Central Pakistan and neighbourhood during the next 48 hours would affect the Himalayan region, it said.
Avalanche threat loomed large over high altitude tribal areas and other higher hills and people have been advised to restrict outdoor movement.

The people in tribal Lahaul valley reeled under freezing cold wave conditions even as power supply remained snapped for five days.
Keylong and Kalpa in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of minus 10.7 degrees Celsius and minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, while key tourist resort of Manali shivered at 0.6 degree, followed by Bhuntar 4.0, Solan 4.7, Sundernagar 5.3, Shimla 5.6, Palampur 6.0, Una 7.2, Dharamsala 7.4 and Nahan 8.5 degrees Celsius.
There was no significant change in maximum temperatures and Una was the hottest in the region with a high of 22.7 degrees Celsius, followed by Sundernagar 20.9, Bhuntar and Solan 19.5, Nahan 18.9, Shimla 15.8, Dharamsala 14.8, Manali 14.4 and Kalpa 5.4 degrees Celsius.