Shimla, Oct 8 (PTI) Cold wave conditions continued in the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh after fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Mandi districts and several parts of the Lahaul-Spiti district, the local Met office said on Wednesday.
The Manali-Leh road was blocked due to snowfall, and vehicles going towards Leh were stopped at Darcha, officials said. In Lahaul-Spiti, Gondhla received 30 cm of snow followed by Keylong (15 cm), Hansa (5 cm) and Kukumseri (3.2 cm).
A video of truck drivers wearing jackets playing with snow and dancing with dhaba owners at Dharcha has gone viral on the internet.
The minimum temperature was below normal by five-six degrees Celsius while the maximum temperatures were 7-14 degrees below normal, the Met said.
Moderate to very heavy rain lashed the low and middle hills of the state, with Naina Devi receiving 132.6 mm of rain since Tuesday evening, followed by Solan (124.2 mm), Berthin (78.6 mm), Pachhad (78.2 mm), Malraon (75.4 mm), Kasauli (68 mm), Bharmani (67.2 mm), Bilaspur (64.8 mm), Kahu (64.1 mm), Dharampur (62.4 mm), and Ghaghas (55 mm), the local weather office said.
Thunderstorms were witnessed in Murari Devi, Kangra, Palampur, Sundernagar, Jubbarhatti and Shimla, while gusty winds swept Narkanda, Kufri, Neri and Tabo.
The Met department has forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places in the low and middle hills, and light to moderate rain and snow in the higher hills on Thursday and Friday, followed by dry weather.
The minimum temperatures stayed below normal at most places, with Kukumseri in Lahaul-Spiti recording the lowest temperature at minus 2.5 degrees Celsius. However, there was an appreciable rise in the maximum temperatures and Una was the hottest during the day, recording a high of 31.6 degrees Celsius.
Himachal Pradesh received 44.2 mm of rain against a normal of 6.1 mm, an excess of 625 per cent, in the post-monsoon season from October 1 to 7.