Cold wave conditions continue in Himachal Pradesh

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Shimla: Cold wave conditions aggravated in the high tribal areas and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh as the minimum temperatures dipped by few notches.

The high altitude tribal areas reeled under piercing cold wave conditions as mercury stayed 12 to 18 degrees Celsius below normal while Kalpa recorded a low of minus 2.0 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali 1.0 degrees Celsius, Solan 3.8 degrees Celsius, Palampur 6.0 degrees Celsius, Shimla 6.3 degrees Celsius, the Meteorological office said.

All natural sources of water like lakes, springs, tributaries of major rivers and 70-km stretch of the Chandra- Bhaga Rivers were frozen, drastically reducing the discharge of water in snow-fed rivers, it said.

However, the day temperatures rose in the mid and higher hills and Una was the hottest in the region with a high of 28.0 degrees Celsius, followed by Sundernagar 23.4 degrees Celsius, Solan 22.0 degrees Celsius, Bhuntar 21.5 degrees Celsius, Nahan 20.4 degrees Celsius, Dharamshala 17.6 degrees Celsius, Shimla 16.7 degrees Celsius.

The MeT office has forecast rains and snowfall in the higher hills on December 23 and 24 and dry weather conditions in the state over the next six days.