Shimla:
Snowfall in higher reaches and rain in lower areas intensified cold conditions in Himachal Pradesh on Monday.
High altitude districts of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu and Kinnaur reported snowfall, Met office said.
While Kufri, on the outskirts of Shimla, witnessed about 3-4 inch snowfall, famous tourist destination Manali was covered under one-foot-eight-inch thick layer of snow.
Due to snowfall, the ongoing Manali winter carnival has been shifted to indoor auditorium from open venue at Rangsala.
The state capital Shimla and other lower areas were lashed by rain. The 'Queen of Hills' had 16.4 mm rain while it was 51.7 mm in Bhuntar, Dharamsala (20.2 mm) and Mandi (20.5 mm), the Met sources said.
Mercury plummeted sharply due to snowfall and rain in the state. Day temperature in Shimla dipped to 6.6 degrees Celsius as against 12.9 deg C yesterday, they said.
Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti district, was the coldest place in the state with a night temperature of minus 4.9 deg C.
The Met office forecast rain/thundershower in low/middle hills while high hills would continue to have rain/snow tomorrow.