Severe cold in Himachal Pradesh, snowfall keeps temperature low

Shimla: Large parts of Himachal Pradesh reeled under a severe cold wave on Saturday despite sunny conditions, with the minimum temperature staying below freezing point owing to the recent snowfall, weather officials said.

The state capital Shimla, with the night temperature at 2.5 degrees Celsius, woke up to a sunny day. It saw snowfall on Tuesday but the snow largely melted.

Popular destination Manali recorded a low of minus 2.4 degree Celsius.

Picturesque tourist centre Dalhousie in Chamba district recorded a low of 2.9 degrees Celsius, while it was 4 degrees Celsius in Dharamsala.

Keylong, around 250 km from Manali, in Lahaul-Spiti district was the coldest in the state with a low of eight degrees below freezing point.

It was minus 4.6 degree Celsius in Kalpa in Keylong district.

Tourism industry representatives are happy after this week`s snowfall at the popular destinations.

"We are getting a good response from the tourists after the snowfall," Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation General Manager Vijay Sharma told IANS.

The Met Office has forecast dry weather with long sunny days across the state till January 31.