Shimla: Snowfall, rains and hailstorm lashed higher parts and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh reviving cold conditions in the region.
The minimum temperature dipped to minus 1.0 degree Celsius at Keylong and zero deg C at Kalpa while Manali and Shimla recorded a low of 5.4 deg C and 6.5 deg C, 3.5 deg C below normal.
Kalpa and Keylong in tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti received 8 mm and 2 mm of snow while the high altitude tribal areas and mountain passes received 15 cm to 25 cm of snow.
Shimla received 39 mm rains and thick fog engulfed the region reducing the visibility to a few meters.
Shimla and its surrounding areas of Naldehra, Kufri, Fagu and Mashobra were also lashed by hailstorm followed by intermittent heavy rains accompanied by strong winds.
Kotkhai in Apple belt received 42 mm of rains while Kotgarh, Thanadhar and other apple growing areas had moderate rains and no damage was caused to the crop which was at flowering state due to prolonged winters.
Kotkhai had 42 mm of rains, followed by Rampur and Sunni Bhajji 30 mm, Arki and Mashobra 27 mm, Kumarsain 26 mm, Manali and Rohru 25 mm, Sangrah and Karsog 24 mm, Sarahan and Khadrala 22 mm, Kandaghat Jubbar Hatti 20 mm and Kangra and Banjar 18 mm.
Thunderstorm and strong velocity winds lashed Shimla and other mid hills and maximum temperature dropped to 29.6 degree Celsius at Una followed by Sundernagar 26.0 deg C, Nahan 24.8 deg C, Solan 23.5 deg C, Bhunter 23.0 deg C, Dharamshala 21.6 deg C, Shimla 18.5 deg C and Kalpa 5.6 deg C.
The local MeT office has predicted rain or thunder showers in the mid hill and foot hills and rain or snowfall at high reaches and also warned of thunder squall or hailstorm at isolated places in lower or mid hills.
