Most parts of Himachal Pradesh facedfreezing cold conditions as mercury nosedived leading to which natural sources of water including lakes, springs, tributaries of major rivers were frozen.
Mercury dipped further and slipped to minus 6.6 degree Celsius at Keylongin tribal Lahaul and Spiti district, minus 3 at Kalpa and Manali and zero degree at Una in Shivalik foothills.
Bhuntar and Solan recorded minimum temperature at 0.2 degree and 0.4 degree, while Palampur recorded a low of 2.0 degree.
Shimla recorded temperature at 2.4 degrees, Sundernagar 2.6 degrees, Nahan 6.7 degrees and Dharamsala 6.8 degrees.
High altitude tribal areas suffered under arctic conditions with minimum temperature staying between minus 8 and minus 15 degree C.
All natural sources of water including lakes, springs, tributaries of major rivers and 70-Km stretch of Chandrabhaga River were frozen.
The discharge of water in snowfed Beas, Ravi and Sutlej rivers had been reduced drastically, causing sharp fall in hydropower generation.
However, the maximum day temperatures increased marginally and Una was hottest during the day with a high of 21.4 degree, followed by Sundernagar 19.0 degree, Bhuntar 18.2 degree, Solan 18.0 degree, Nahan 15.5 degree, Dharamsala 14.8 degree , Shimla 12.3 degree and Kalpa 9.0 degree C.
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather in the region over next two days.
