Temperatures soar in HP

Shimla, Feb 22 (UNI) Temperatures soared above normal in various parts of Himachal Pradesh, while isolated places in the high and mid hills of the state were experiencing snowfall for the second day today following the presence of Western Disturbance (WD) over the adjoining state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Shimla town's maximum temperature at 18.4 degree Celsius was over eight degrees above normal, while the minimum at 7.6 degrees was 3.6 degrees above normal, the met office told UNI here.

Similarly, Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Dharamshala and Manali recorded day temperatures of 24.4, 23, 21.2 and 24.4 degree Celsius which the met office said was about five to eight degrees above normal for this period of the year.

Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded relatively warm nights at 9.4 and 8.6 degrees, while Dharamshala and Una towns recorded night temperatures of 9.5 and 8.5 degrees respectively.

The met office said Kalpa in Kinnuar district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.1 degrees, while Mandi town recorded a low of 6.3 degrees.

Meanwhile, higher altitude areas of the tribal districts of Kinnuar, Lahaul Spiti and Chamba are experiencing snowfall for the second day today following which the entire region was in the grip of a coldwave.

Rekong Peo, Lahaul Spiti's district headquarter, had so far received over 30 cm of snow, while Kalpa recorded about 15 to 20 cm, it said.

It said the higher reaches of the tribal districts, which were under a thick layer of fog, had recorded over 40 cm of snow in the last 36 hours.

Light rains also lashed the famous tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district and a few places in the Shimla district last night, the met office added.

Meanwhile, overcast conditions are prevailing in the lower parts of the district because of the Western Disturbance (WD), which was not as severe has it was earlier this month.

The met office has forecast more snow and rain at isolated places in the state during the next 24 hrs.

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