Light rains bring down mercury in Himachal Pradesh

Light rains brought down the mercury in Himachal Pradesh on Monday with more showers and a fresh spell of snowfall expected later in the week, officials said.

Rainfall occurred at isolated places in the hilly state, including Solan that received 1.4 mm, Shimla Met Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.

The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 26.4 degrees Celsius, whereas tribal district Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong continued to be the coldest place with temperature of minus 3.9 degrees Celsius, the weatherman said.

The minimum temperature in Kinnaur district's Kalpa was 1.8 degrees Celsius.

Tourist destination Manali recorded minimum temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius, Dalhousie was at 8 degrees Celsius and state capital Shimla witnessed 9.2 degrees Celsius, the weatherman said.

The Met department has predicted rain and snowfall in the high hills and thundershowers in the middle hills of the state from Thursday to Saturday.