Piercing cold wave grips Himachal Pradesh

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 17

The piercing cold wave sweeping most parts of Himachal continued unabated as higher reaches had mild snowfall. The minimum temperatures hovered around the freezing point at many places.

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Bharmour and Chhatarari in tribal areas of Chamba district recorded 5 cm and 4 cm of snow, followed by Kufri (1 cm) while Kothi, Keylong and Gondla had traces of snow and Sanjauli in Shimla town and Narkanda saw snowflakes. Foggy conditions prevailed under partially clouded sky and thick ground frost occurred in mid and higher hills.

The weather remained dry at most places but strong icy winds swept the region, making people reel under biting cold wave conditions.

The mercury stayed between minus 8 and minus 12°C in high-altitude tribal areas. Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded minimum temperatures at minus 8.0°C and minus 4.4°C, while Dalhousie and Kufri shivered at minus 2.8°C and minus 2.0°C, followed by Shimla and Solan at minus 0.2°C Manali at 0.6°C, Dharamsala and Sundernagar at 2.2°C, Una at 2.6°C and Bhuntar at 2.9°C, 2-5°C below normal.

The MeT office has predicted clouded conditions in mid and higher hill with possibility of drizzle/light snowflakes in Shimla, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba and the adjoining areas during the next 24 hours and continuation of cold wave conditions in Shimla, Chamba and adjoining areas for next three to four days.

Moderate to dense fog is likely to occur in lower districts of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Una and parts of Solan and Kangra districts. Moderate rainfall/snowfall is likely at isolated places in the state on December 22 and 23 as a fresh Western Disturbance is approaching the region, the MeT office said.