Icy Grasp: Cold Wave Tightens Hold on Himachal Pradesh

Cold wave conditions gripped the higher reaches and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh, as Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night.

The meteorological center reported an appreciable drop in minimum temperatures at multiple locations, with Keylong at minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, Kukumseri at minus 2.1 degrees, and Kalpa at 0.2 degrees. Kalpa in Kinnaur district also received traces of snow.

Dense fog enveloped Sundernagar, while shallow fog persisted in Bilaspur. Gusty winds ranging from 35 to 39 kmph affected Reckongpeo, Tabo, Seobagh, and Kukumseri. Although temperatures are expected to fall further as winter settles in, weather expert Sandeep Sharma forecasts dry weather for the next seven days. From October 1 to November 6, Himachal Pradesh received 69.5 mm of rain, a 140 percent excess over the normal rainfall of 29 mm, officials noted.