Biting cold wave sweeps across Himachal Pradesh; MeT warns of heavy rain, snow

Shimla: There was no respite from piercing cold wave sweeping across Himachal Pradesh today, even though minimum temperatures rose by a few notches.

The local MeT has warned of heavy rain or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills today and tomorrow due to a fresh western disturbance.

Heavily overcast sky in state capital Shimla and surrounding areas kept people on tenterhooks as they were yet to recover from the nightmarish experience they had after the heavy snowfall on the night of January 7, which paralysed normal life for several days.

The high altitude tribal areas and other peaks shivered? under freezing cold wave conditions with mercury staying between minus 17 and minus 22 degrees Celsius while Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of minus 11.6 degrees and minus 2.8 degrees against minus 13.9 degrees and minus 6.0 degrees yesterday.

Manali was warmer at 1.0 degree Celsius against minus 6.8 yesterday, a rise of 7.8 degrees, followed by Bhuntar zero degree, Manali and Shimla 1.6, Solan 1.8, Sundernagar 2.4, Dharamsala 6.2, Una 6.4 and Nahan 7.4 degrees Celsius.