Mercury rises in lower hills in Himachal

The mid and lower hills in the state saw a significant change in weather with mercury soaring to 31 degrees at Una, 4.5 degrees above normal, even as the tribal areas and other higher hills had little respite from biting cold wave conditions.
The weather remained dry in the region and day temperature rose to 29.4 degrees at Sundernagar while Bhunter recorded a high of 28.5 degrees, followed by Solan 26.0 degrees, Nahan 25.7 degrees, Dharamshala 22.6 degrees, Manali 22.0 degrees, Shimla 20.9 degrees and Kalpa 16.4 degrees, three to five degrees above normal.
The high altitude tribal areas recorded minimum temperature between minus 8 and minus 14 while Keylong and Kalpa in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of minus 5.2 degrees and minus 2.2 degrees, followed by Manali 4 degrees, Bhuntar 8 degrees, Solan and Chamba 9.8 degrees, Una 10 degrees, Shimla and Sundernagar 10.7 degrees, Dharamsala 12.4 degrees and Nahan 14.7 degrees.

The sudden rise in temperature and relief from rain and snow has proved as a boon for stone fruit crops in mid hills which are at flowering stage while scarlet rhododendron blossoming in the forests have signalled actual arrival of spring.
The local MeT office has predicted dry weather in the region over the next 48 hours and rain, thundershowers, and snow at isolated places from March 25 to March 27 as a feeble Western Disturbance lies over Iran and neighbourhood and extends upto 3.1 km above mean sea level.