Moderate snowfall in high-altitude areas in HP

Shimla : Moderate snowfall was recorded in high-altitude tribal areas in Himachal Pradesh even as the weather remained dry in the rest of the state, officials said today.

Slippery road conditions on the Rohtang Pass, situated at 13,050 feet, led to skidding of vehicles and the Lahaul and Spiti administration advised commuters to cross the pass only during the daytime.Plying of buses via the pass has also been suspended, officials said.

Barring traces of rains at Una, Amb and Nagrota, the weather remained dry in mid, lower and higher hills. However, sky remained heavily overcast and strong velocity icy winds swept the region making people shiver even in heavy woollens.

The mercury hovered around freezing point in tribal areas and higher hills. Kalpa and Keylong in tribal areas recorded a low of minus 0.2 degree and 0.5 degree while Manali, Solan and Shimla recorded 3.2 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees and 5.7 degrees, two to three notches below normal.

Bhuntar, Sundernagar, Dharamsala and Palampur also shivered under cold wave conditions as the mercury was recorded at 6.5 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees, 8.2 degrees and 8.5 degrees.Foggy conditions prevailed in the region hampering vehicular traffic and the situation was the worst in towns along the banks of rivers and tributaries where the sun was not visible till noon.The local MeT office has forecast rains and thundershowers in mid and lower hills and rains and snow in higher hills over the next three days.