Cold wave conditions intensify across Himachal; Tabo records coldest night of season

Shimla: The cold wave sweeping through hills and valleys of Himachal further tightened its grip as Tabo in tribal Lahaul and Spiti experienced the coldest night of the season with a low of minus 7.4 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures dropped by a few notches across regions.

The high altitude tribal areas and mountain passes reeled under piercing cold wave conditions with mercury staying six to 10 degrees below freezing point while Keylong, Kukumseri and Kalpa recorded minimum temperatures at minus 3.3 degrees, minus 3.1 degrees and minus 0.4 degrees respectively, Shimla Met office said on Thursday.

Water pipes froze at many places in the higher reaches and high altitude tribal areas, and people were forced to wear heavy woollens to beat the cold, especially during the morning hours.

Icy winds swept the region and the pale sun failed to provide relief to the people. The mercury stayed two to five degrees below normal and Seobagh recorded a low of 2.0 degrees, followed by Reckong Peo 2.2 degrees, Manali 2.5 degrees and Solan and Narkanda 2.6 degrees.

Shimla and Dharamshala were warmer with a low of 8.2 degrees and 8 degrees, while Bhuntar, Sundernagar, Kufri, Palampur and Hamirpur shivered at 3.5 degrees, 4.5 degrees, 4.7 degrees, 5.5 degrees and 5.6 degrees respectively.

During the ongoing post-monsoon season from October 1 to November 13, Himachal Pradesh received 69.7 mm of rain against the normal rainfall of 32.7 mm, an excess of 113 per cent, the Met officials said.