Fresh spell of snowfall, rain brings down mercury in Himachal; Keylong coldest at 0.9 deg C

Shimla, Mar 25 (PTI) Wintry conditions are back in mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh as high-altitude tribal areas received another spell of moderate snowfall and mid and lower hills received widespread rains.

The local Meteorological (MeT) station has warned of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on Saturday and rains in some places from March 25 to 29.

Gondla and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district received 8.5 cm and 2.6 cm of fresh snow, respectively, while Dalhousie was wettest in the region with 81 mm rains, followed by Naina Devi 32.4 mm, Ghamroor 32.0 mm, Kangra 18.6 mm, Chamba 17 mm, Una 13.4 mm, Chamba 17 mm, Sundernagar 10.9 mm and Shimla 8 mm.

Strong icy winds lashed the region and sky remained heavily overcast, causing sharp fall in minimum temperatures which stood two to four notches below normal.

Keylong was coldest with a low of minus 0.9 degrees Celsius followed by Kusumseri which recorded a minimum temperature of 1.1 degrees Celsius, Kalpa 2 degrees Celsius, Narkanda 23 degrees Celsius, Dalhousie 2.9 degrees Celsius, Reckongpeo 5.3 degrees Celsius and Shimla 6 degrees Celsius.

The state received an average rainfall of 51.7 mm from March 1 to March 25 against normal rainfall of 97.6 mm, a deficit of 47 per cent.

Sirmaur and Solan districts received 79 and 19 per cent excess rains, while the rain deficit was 89 per cent in Lahaul and Spiti, 74 per cent in Kinnaur, 55 per cent in Kullu, 30 per cent in Chamba and 20 per cent in Hamirpur.

The inclement weather has closed 17 roads, including two national highways, for traffic and disrupted the functioning of 322 power transformers.