Himachal sees slight rise in mercury, but snow likely

The hills of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday saw a slight rise in the mercury owing to dry weather but the Met Office has forecast chances of snowfall and rain in the coming days.

"There are chances of snowfall and rain in the state till January 16," a Met official told IANS.

He said western disturbances -- storm systems originating from the Mediterranean Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region into northern India -- were becoming active.

"Certain areas are likely to experience heavy spells of snow and rain till Sunday," the India Meteorological Department official said.

He said chances of snow in the higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Sirmaur and Chamba districts are high.

"After January 13, another western disturbance would affect the region from January 15, causing scattered to fairly widespread precipitation till January 16," the official added.

Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti, was the coldest in the state recording a minimum temperature of minus 10.5 degrees Celsius.

Shimla recorded the night temperature at three degrees, a rise from Friday's 2.7 degrees, whereas Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a low of minus five degrees, Dharamsala 4.2 degrees and Kufri minus 0.5 degrees.-IANS