Shimla: The cold wave sweeping through the hills and valleys of Himachal Pradesh has intensified, with Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti recording the coldest night of the season at minus 7.4°C, the Shimla Meteorological Centre reported on Thursday.
High-altitude tribal areas and mountain passes continued to reel under severe cold conditions, with temperatures ranging six to ten degrees below freezing point. Keylong, Kukumseri, and Kalpa recorded lows of -3.3°C, -3.1°C, and -0.4°C respectively.
As icy winds swept the region, water pipes froze in several high-altitude areas, and residents were forced to rely on heavy woollens to withstand the biting cold, especially during early morning hours. The mercury remained two to five degrees below normal, with Seobagh recording 2.0°C, followed by Reckong Peo (2.2°C), Manali (2.5°C), Solan (2.6°C), and Narkanda (2.6°C).
Meanwhile, Shimla (8.2°C) and Dharamshala (8°C) remained comparatively warmer, while Bhuntar (3.5°C), Sundernagar (4.5°C), Kufri (4.7°C), Palampur (5.5°C), and Hamirpur (5.6°C) also witnessed chilly conditions.
Meteorological officials added that Himachal Pradesh has received 113% excess rainfall during the post-monsoon season (October 1–November 13), with 69.7 mm of rain compared to the normal 32.7 mm.