Sunny weather in HP, snowfall at higher reaches

It was a sunny morning across most of Himachal Pradesh Thursday even as the chill in the air persisted due to cold winds sweeping the state, the Meteorological department (Met) said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an 'orange warning' of heavy snowfall, rain and hailstorm in most parts of the state from January 4 to 6.

On Thursday, Keylong, the administrative centre of Lahaul and Spiti district, was the coldest recorded place in the state at minus 11 degrees Celsius, the department said.

Several high reaches in the state, located in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Kullu districts received fresh snowfall, Meteorological Centre, Shimla, Director Manmohan Singh said.

Kalpa, in tribal Kinnaur district, received 7 cm snow from 5:30 pm Wednesday to 8:30 am Thursday, he said, adding that Dalhousie and Bharmour in Chamba district and the high reaches of Kullu and tribal Lahaul and Spiti have also witnessed snowfall during the period.

The minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 8.4 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 4.2 degrees Celsius in Manali and minus 1.6 degrees Celsius in Kufri.

Acting on the weather advisory, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Wednesday said that it was prepared to deal with any eventuality.

The state and district control rooms are in a state of readiness to deal with any eventuality, a state official had said, adding that tourists and the general public have been advised to avoid the higher reaches in the coming days.