Cold wave grips Himachal Lahaul-Spiti's Tabo coldest at minus 12.7 deg C

     Shimla, Dec 10 (PTI) Cold wave intensified in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday as minimum temperatures stayed three to five degrees below normal at most places and light snow was witnessed in some areas.
     Tabo in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti was coldest in the state with a low of minus 12.7 degrees.
     Shimla’s Khadrala, Koksar (Lahaul and Spiti) and Kalpa received 2.0 cm, 0.5 cm and 0.2 cm of snow respectively, the local meteorological station said.
     Very light rain and snowfall occurred at isolated places across the state and weather remained dry in most parts during the last 24 hours.
     Bhabanagar, Kotkhai and Rajgarh recorded 1.8 mm, 0.5 mm and 0.1 mm rains.
     The weather office said barring light rain and snowfall at isolated places in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur districts and higher reaches of Kangra on December 12, dry weather will prevail for next seven days.
     Lahaul and Spiti’s Kukumseri recorded a low of minus 8.1 degrees, Sumdo minus 7.9 degrees, Kalpa minus 5.4 degrees, Narkanda minus 3.4 degrees and Manali minus 2.8 degrees, it said.
     The mercury hovered around freezing point at many places as Bajaura and Bhuntar in Kullu shivered at minus 1.6 degrees and minus 1.4 degrees Celsius respectively.
     The minimum temperature in Solan was minus 0.6 degrees, 0.2 degrees in Sundernagar, 0.4 degrees in Una and 1.0 degrees in Shimla and Chamba each.
     However, the day temperatures rose by two to three degrees as the region had a clear day today and Una was hottest in the state at 33.8 degrees Celsius.
     Water pipes froze at several places in mid and higher hills while dense fog engulfed some parts of the reservoir area of Bilaspur’s Bhakra dam and Balh valley in Mandi during early morning, morning and late night hours.
     The weather office has warned of dense fog over some parts of the reservoir area and Balh valley on December 11 and 12, predicted further drop in minimum temperatures.
     Fifteen roads including Atari-Leh National Highway 3 and Firozpur-Shipki La National Highway 5 were blocked for traffic in Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts on Monday evening according to the last update by the state emergency operation centre.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)