HP shivers in minus 10 degree Celcius temperature

Shimla: High altitude Lahaul and Spiti was coldest place in Himachal Pradesh on Monday as night temperature plummeted to minus 10.4 degree Celsius while cold winds kept weather chilly in Shimla and other lower areas of the state.

Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti district, recorded night temperature of minus 10.4 degree Celsius, lowest in the state, Met office said.

A report from the district also known as "cold desert" said Rohtang pass situated at a height of 13,050 feet recorded minimum temperature of minus 40 degree Celsius last night.

Batteries and diesel of bulldozers engaged in clearing snow from roads of Rohtang pass to Koksar in Lahaul and Spiti froze and engine of the vehicles were operational throughout the night, the report noted.

Lahaul and Spiti remained cut off from rest of the world due to closure of Rohtang pass, the only road link to the district for the 15th day on Monday.

Shimla recorded day temperature of 16.6 degree Celsius in comparison to 15.4 degree Celsius on Sunday, Met office said, adding night temperature in the capital saw a slight fall at 6.9 vis-a-vis 8.7 degree Celsius on Sunday night.

Elsewhere, Sundernagar recorded day temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius while it was 20.6 C in Bhuntar, Kalpa (12.1 C) and Dharamsala (21.4 C), it said.

The Met office forecast mainly dry weather in low and middle ranges while hills could witness rain or snow at isolated places on Tuesday.