Shimla: Freezing dry cold wave plummeted Mercury under subzero and in minus in Himachal Pradesh affecting normal life during the last 24 hours, India Metereogical Department(IMD) said in weather forecast on Thursday.
It said dry cold wave is likely to persist for couple of days till December 25. Yellow Warning of Moderate to dense fog is issued at isolated pockets in low hills and plains during morning hours and Coldwave is likely to occur at isolated pockets over the plains and low hills.
Minimum temperature of Kaza was nearly minus 13 degrees in Lahaul-Spiti district followed by Kukamseri minus eight and Keylong minus 7.7. Kalpa of Kinnaur minus three, Manali minus one, Sundernagar (Mandi) and Solan minus 0.5 and minus 0.3, Mandi zero degree and Una 0.7 degrees. Minimum temperature of tourist Narkanda one, Kufri and Chamba 2.5 and Hamirpur 1.7, Shimla, Dalhousie and Kangra was four , Dharmshala five degrees. Lahaul-Spiti district administration issued traffic advisory to commuters stating that Manali Leh National Highway (NH - 003) is open till Darcha. Shinkula Road is open for local four by four vehicles from 11.00AM to 4.00PM.
The Pangi Killar Highway (SH - 26) is open to all types of vehicles, however, Kaza road (NH-505) is closed for all vehicular movement. Ice cold wave likely to increase frost conditions in the early hours may further intensify Weather vagaries. Dry cold and increasing fog and dust conditions posing problem to drive vehicle early morning. The visibility declined to 70 meter in Bilaspur and 500 meter in Mandi town. (UNI)
