Cold wave in Himachal, more snow in store

Shimla, Jan 20 : The cold wave gripped most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, with the weather office predicting more snow across the state.

Last week's snowfall and rain led to the mercury to plunge below the freezing point in many areas in the state.

Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district was the coldest with a low of minus 14.4 degrees Celsius.

The resort town of Kalpa recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 2.8 degrees in Manali, 0.8 degrees in Dalhousie and minus 2.4 degrees in Dharamsala.

The state capital saw the night temperature at 1.5 degrees, a slight rise from Sunday's minus 0.6 degrees.

Nearby Kufri shivered at minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Met officials said the entire tribal belt in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu and Chamba districts may witness more snowfall in the next two days.

Widespread rainfall may also occur across the mid and lower hills.

The weather forecast said the western disturbances -- storm systems originating from Caspian Sea in Central Asia and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region -- would be active in the region from Monday evening.

--IANS

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Source: IANS