Shimla experiences season's first snowfall

Chandigarh, Dec 11 (UNI) People shivered under cold climatic conditions in many areas of northwest India as the mercury stayed low following season's first snowfall in Shimla and rain in some parts of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab today.

Chilly winds swept most parts of the region and the pale yellow Sun, peeping through the skies occasionally, offered little warmth to the people.

Upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist places of Kufri, Fagu, Narkanda and Naldehra, and the key toursit resort of Manali in Kullu district and Dalhousie in Chamba district also experienced snowfall, a report from shimla said.

Shimla was in the grip of cold wave conditions following snowfall with the minimum plummeting to 0.7 degrees, four degrees below normal, in the capital town.

Tribal districts of Lahaul spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba district also experienced moderate snowfall last night, bringing a sharp fall in the temperature in the tribal areas. Kalpa in kinnaur district recorded minus 4.9 degrees celsius.

The 13050-foot high Rohtang Pass and Dhauladhar ranges also experienced snowfall, intensifying cold wave conditions in Kullu and Kangra valleys.

The mercury stayed low in the plains of Punjab and Haryana. Cold surface winds blew across Ludhiana where the minimum temperature hovered at 4.4 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal. The town also recorded traces of rain overnight.

The temperature also remained low in Amritsar recording the minimum at 7.4 degrees while Patiala showed 8.1 degrees celsius. Both Amritsar and Patiala had brief spells of rain.

Narnaul in Mahendergarh district of Haryana turned out to be the coldest place, recording the minimum temperature at 4.7 degrees, followed by Rohtak registering 7.5 degrees, Ambala 7.9 degrees and Hissar 8.5 degrees celsius.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana also recorded low temperature. The city recorded the minimum temperature at 7.4 degrees, one degree below normal.

The Met office predicted rain or snow at few places in Himachal Pradesh and rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours. Ground frost is likely to occur at isolated places in Punjab during the next two nights.

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