Shimla: The biting cold wave sweeping most parts of Himachal further intensified on Saturday as high altitude areas and other higher reaches experienced fresh snowfall and strong velocity icy winds lashed the region.
The sky remained heavily overcast causing a fall in day temperature while minimum temperature slipped by a few notches across the state.
Keylong and Kalpa in tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kalpa recorded minimum temperatures at minus 8.2 and minus 5.0 degree, four degree below normal, Manali and Bhuntar recorded a low of minus 2.4 degree and 0.5 degree, followed by Solan and Sundernagar 1.0 degree, Shimla and Hamirpur 1.4 degree C.
The pale sun failed to warm up the region and fierce winds forced people to stay indoors in high altitude areas.
The maximum day temperatures dropped by two to three degrees with Una recording a high of 18.4 degree, followed by Sundernagar 16.8 degree, Bhuntar 16.2 degree, Solan 15.5 degree,Dharamsala 14.2 degree, Nahan 14.0 degree, Shimla 10. 5 degree, Manali 10.2 degree and Kalpa 9.9 degree C.
The local MeT office has predicted rains or snow during next 48 hours and a large number of tourists hoping for happy Christmas are reaching Shimla and other tourist resorts.
The hotels are bracing to cope up with tourist rush which would increase enormously in case of snowfall in next one week.
