Himachal witnesses driest ever December; light snow in Lahaul and Spiti

Shimla, Dec 21 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh is experiencing the driest ever December, with 100 per cent deficit rain so far.

Farmers and orchadists, and stakeholders in the tourism and allied industries, are waiting for a snowfall.

Higher reaches in the tribal areas of Lahaul and Spiti district received light snowfall on Sunday but it was not sufficient to break the dry spell. Videos of tourists enjoying fresh snow at Shinkula in Lahaul and Spiti has surfaced on the internet.

The continued dry spell with rise in minimum temperatures has delayed the sowing of Rabi crops such as wheat, barley, mustard, peas and gram. The rise in minimum temperatures could also reduce the cooling hours necessary for a good apple crop, observers said.

The minimum temperatures rose by a few notches on Sunday. Kukumseri was the coldest in the state with minimum temperature recorded at minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, while Shimla was the hottest during night with a low of 11 degrees Celsius, 4.9 degrees above normal.

Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a minimum temperature of 3.1 degrees Celsius, Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti 1.1 degrees Celsius, and Solan 4.5 degrees Celsius, while the mercury stayed above 5 degrees at other stations.

The local meteorological station has issued a yellow warning for dense fog over some parts of the Bhakra dam reservoir area in Bilaspur, some parts of Una district, and some parts of Balh Valley in Mandi during early morning, morning and late night hours from December 22 to 25 and dry weather in the rest of the state up to December 25.

However, maximum temperatures dropped by 3 to 6 degrees in lower hills and plains. Una in Shivalik foothills recorded a high of 17.6 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal. Kalpa recorded a high of 17.3 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees above normal, while Shimla recorded a high of 13 degrees Celsius, 4.2 degrees above normal.

Solan was the hottest during the day with a maximum temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. PTI BPL RUK RUK