Snow, rains lash Himachal Pradesh for second day

Wintry conditions prevailed in most parts of Himachal Pradesh as snow, sleet and rains, accompanied by high velocity icy winds, lashed the region for the second day today.
The sky remained heavily overcast and intermittent rains and sleet here and adjoining areas forced people to stay indoors.
Thevehicular movement was hampered in the capital town as the roads covered by thin layer of sleet made driving difficult. The district administration was on the toes, clearing the roads, especially those leading to the hospitals.
While tribal areas of Lahaul and Pangi were cut off from the state since early December, the upper areas of Kullu, Shimla and Sirmaur districts remained cut off for the second day today.

Kothi in Kullu district received 45 mm of snow during the past 24 hours, followed by Gondla 36 cm, Bijhali 31 cm, Keylong 25 cm, Kalpa 19 cm, Shimla 15 cm, Jhanjehli and Manali each 13 cm.
Baijnath in Kangra district was wettest in the region with 50 mm rains, followed by Kheri 41 mm, Gohar 38 mm, Sundernagar 38 mm, Palampur 34 mm, Chamba 33 mm, Mandi 32 mm, Aghar 31 mm, Dharamshala 28 mm and Solan 15.4 mm.

The minimum temperatures dropped in mid and higher hills and key tourist resorts of Shimla and Manali recorded a low of zero degrees Celsius and minus 1 degrees Celsius. Keylong and Kalpa in tribal areas recorded minimum temperatures at minus 4.9 degrees Celsius and minus 2.2 degrees Celsius respectively, followed by Dharamsala 3.4 degrees Celsius, Palampur 3.5 degrees Celsius, Nahan 4.1 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar 4.4 degrees Celsius and Solan 5.8 degrees Celsius.

Maximum temperatures, however, rose by a few notches and Una was hottest during the day with a high of 22 degrees Celsius , followed by Nahan 18.2 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar 15.9 degrees Celsius, Solan 20.4 degrees Celsius, Bhuntar 19.8
degrees Celsius, Shimla 8.8 degrees Celsius, Manali 4.2 and degrees Celsius.
The local MeT office has predicted rain or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills on February 16 and dry weather in the state over the next six days.