Shimla receives year's first snow, cold wave condition intensifies in Himachal Pradesh

The Himachal Pradesh capital witnessed snowfall on Sunday, the second time this season, while the state's higher reaches received snow overnight intensifying cold wave conditions in the region, the meteorological department said.

Shimla received 5 cm snow between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm Sunday and recorded a maximum temperature of 3.7 degrees Celsius, while tourist spots Narkanda and Kufri in the district also witnessed light snowfall, the director of the MeT Centre here Manmohan Singh said.

Cold wave condition intensified in Himachal Pradesh as the state's higher reaches also received snow, he said, adding the maximum temperature in Dalhousie and Kalpa was at the freezing point on Sunday.

The minimum temperature in Kufri was minus 3 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 1.6 degrees Celsius in Dalhousie.

According to Singh, snowfall might continue at several high reaches of the state on Sunday night and may occur at some isolated places from January 7 to January 9 due to western disturbances.

The first snowfall of the year in Shimla brought cheers to tourists, hoteliers and horticulturists. The sky is still overcast indicating that it may snow again.

Hundreds of tourists gathered at the historical Ridge and the Mall road in Shimla to enjoy the snowfall.

Manali in Kullu district received 3 cm snow and recorded a high of 1.8 degrees Celsius, while Kalpa in Kinnaur district received 7 cm snow, Singh said, adding the minimum temperature in Manali was minus 1.2 degrees Celsius.

Keylong was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 8.7 degrees Celsius while in Kalpa the mercury settled at a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius.