Severe cold in state

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 27

Most parts of the state are in the grip of a severe cold with the tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti and the higher reaches experiencing snowfall.

While the higher reaches experienced snowfall, the lower parts of the state were lashed by scattered rains accompanied by high velocity winds. This led to a sharp decline in the minimum temperature with the mercury dipping considerably in the tribal areas. Rohtang Pass experienced almost 30 cms of snow while Keylong and Kalpa received two cms of snow. The majestic Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra, Churdhar ranges in Sirmaur 

and Chansel, Saach 

and Kunzam Pass also received fresh snowfall.

People shivered with the sudden freezing cold. The rain and snow have, however, brought cheers to those associated with the tourism industry and the farmers. The spell of rain is likely to be beneficial for the Rabi crop, whose sowing has just been completed.

The minimum temperatures hovered around the freezing point in tribal areas and other higher hills as the piercing cold wave conditions intensified with minimum temperature ranging between minus five and minus eight degree C.

Keylong recorded a low of minus 0.7 deg C, followed by Kalpa 0 deg C, Manali 0.2 deg C, Dalhousie 1.5 deg C, Una 4.0 deg C, Shimla 4.3 deg C, Palampur 7.0 deg C, Bhuntar 7.5 deg C, Solan 8.2 deg C, Dharamsala 8.8 deg C, Sundernagar 10.1 deg C and Nahan 12.4 deg C.

Banjar in Kullu district had 14 mm of rains, while Seobagh and Bhoranj  recorded 13 mm followed by Rampur, Hamirpur and Mandi 12 mm each, Bhuntar 10 mm, Saloni, Sundernagar and Gohar 9 mm each and Jubbarhatti, Kumarsain and Dalhousie 8 mm each. Shimla received 5 mm rains while Solan had 4 mm rains.