Dry spell continues in HP

Shimla, Feb 5 (UNI) Overcast conditions prevail in Himachal Pradesh today after months of dry spell and intense coldwave conditions, raising hopes of precipitation during the next 24 hours.

Thick clouds were hovering over the entire tribal belt and mid and lower hills of the state since morning, plummeting temperatures in the state by a few degrees, which was still above normal.

The met office and official sources said snow was likely in the higher altitude areas and rain in the lower areas of the tribal districts of Kinnur, Lahaul, Chamba and Kullu during the next 24 hours.

The night temperature at Kalpa dropped to minus 2.5 degrees from minus point three degrees recorded yesterday and the met office said coldwave conditions in the high altitude areas was likely to revive with minimum temperatures likely to fall in the next few days.

The minimum and maximum temperatures in Shimla town stood at 5.7 and 15.1 degrees which was still three to five degree Celsius above normal, the met office said.

It said Sundernagar recorded a low of 4.3 degrees and a high of 22.1 degrees while Bhuntar recorded a night temperature of 5.7 degrees and a day temperature 23.4 degrees.

Meanwhile, official sources said continuing dry spell has created a drought-like situation in Himachal Pradesh with several natural water sources in lower areas of the state beginning to dry, forcing people to tread long distances to fetch drinking water.

Apart from isolated rain in the lower areas and mild snow in the high altitude areas of the tribal districts of the state in December, last year, the state has experienced less than one cm of precipitation during the last 50 days, the met office added.

UNI