After a white weekend, HP records sub-zero temp
MORE SNOW PREDICTED There is a possibility of snowfall in the higher reaches on December 19 and 21, besides rain in most parts of the state
SHIMLA:AFTER a weekend of snow, Himachal Pradesh shivered under sub-zero temperatures on Monday with Keylong being the coldest place in the state at -14.9 degrees Celsius.
State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said that the weather will remain dry for the next three days. “There is a possibility of snowfall in the higher reaches on December 19 and snowfall and rainfall is likely across the state on December 21,” he said.
The minimum temperatures were one to two degrees below normal and the maximum temperatures were two to three degrees below normal.
The minimum temperature in the hill stations of Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie and Dharamshala were 0.8, -4.8, 1.5 and 2.4 degrees, while the maximum temperatures were 7.3, 4.6, 3.8 and 11.8 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Kufri, a tourist spot near Shimla, was -1.2 degrees and the maximum temperature was 2.1 degrees. The minimum and maximum temperatures in Kalpa were -6 degrees and 4.4 degrees Celsius.
The lowest temperature in Himachal was -14.9 degrees at Keylong, while the highest temperature in the state was 20 degrees Celsius at Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district.
MORE TOURISTS EXPECTED ON NEW YEAR
Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association president Sanjay Sood said “Hotel occupancy has witnessed a massive boost during the last two days due to snowfall. Hotels have also received bookings for Christmas and New Year. The tourism business has picked up in town.”
Rajiv Gupta, a tourist visiting from Delhi, said “We were not expecting snowfall in Shimla when we came here but nonetheless it was a pleasant surprise.”
Gurpreet Sandhu of Patiala, who is vacationing in Shimla with friends, said, “We are having a good time here. We hope to see more snowfall. I am also planning to visit Shimla on the first of January with my friends.”
Tourist inflow is expected to witness a boost in the next few weeks with Christmas and Newyear holidays in the offing.
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION ISSUES ADVISORY TO TOURISTS
Amid the tourist inflow, the Shimla district administration has also issued an advisory to tourists. Visitors have been advised to be cautious while venturing in snowbound areas of the district. ‘Tourists should travel only with experienced drivers and try to travel in 4x4 vehicles as far as possible,” the advisory read. Tourists have been advised to park their vehicles at the Tutikandi parking, four kilometres away from the main town, once the parkings within the town get fully occupied.
Tourists have also been requested to check the parking information board installed at Tourist Information Centre, Tutikandi, to know the capacity and occupancy status of various parkings in Shimla.
All the roads in Shimla are clear and open for traffic.