Himachal Pradesh today got some respite from stormy conditions as mid and lower hill areas of the state experienced a dry day but there was still no relief from the piercing cold as temperatures continued to plummet.
The minimum temperatures dropped by two to four degrees and stayed three to eight degrees below normal while the maximum day temperature rose marginally by one to two degrees.
High altitude tribal areas groaned under biting cold wave conditions with mercury staying 22 to 34 degrees Celsius below the freezing point.
Bharmaur, Keylong and Kalpa in tribal areas recorded minimum temperatures at minus 13.0 degree C, minus 9.4 degree C and minus 2.5 degree C, three to five degree below normal.
Key tourist resort of Manali recorded a low of minus 3 degrees C, while Shimla shivered at 1.0 degrees C, followed by Sundernagar 2.1 degrees C, Bhuntar 2.5 degrees C, Solan and Palampur 4.0 degrees C, Una 4.5 degrees C, Nahan 5.1 degrees C (seven degrees below normal) and Dharamsala 5.8 degrees C.
The maximum temperature rose to 25 degrees C in Una while Sundernagar and Nahan recorded a high of 20.9 degrees C and 20.7 degrees C, followed by Bhuntar 19.6 degrees C, Solan 18.6 degrees C, Dharamsala 15.6 degrees C, Shimla 14.1 degrees C and Kalpa 5.8 degrees C.
The local MeT office has predicted rains and snow at isolated places during the next 72 hours.
