Lakes, springs freeze as cold intensifies
Tribune News Service
Shimla, December 15
Biting cold wave conditions continued unabated in most parts of Himachal, as minimum temperatures stayed two to six degrees below normal. More than 12 places reeled under severe cold with night temperatures hovering close to the freezing point.
Keylong and Kalpa in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded the minimum temperatures of
-6.4°C and -1.7°C, respectively, while Manali, Solan, Bhuntar, Dalhousie, Dharamsala and Palampur shivered at 0.2°C, 0.5°C, 0.8°C, 1.1°C, 1.6°C and 2°C, respectively.
The night temperature remained six degrees below normal at Dharamsala and four degrees below normal at Palampur. Thick fog engulfed several towns in lower hills while thick ground frost occurred in mid and higher hills, rendering roads slippery and driving hazardous.
The high altitude tribal areas reeled under Arctic-like conditions with the minimum temperatures staying between -10°C and -15°C and all natural resources of water such as lakes and springs and the 70-km stretch of the Chandrabhaga river have frozen.
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather in the state for the next five days from December 16 to 21 with no appreciable increase in the mercury. The day temperatures remained steady and Keylong with a high of 2.6°C was the coldest during the day also, followed by Dalhousie 3.8°C, Kufri 6.8°C, and Kalpa 8.6°C.
