Shimla, Jan 3 (PTI) Severe cold conditions haveaggravated the trouble for people in Himachal Pradesh as theminimum temperature neared the freezing point in the plains,but an extended dry spell has led to anxiety among applegrowers.
The high-altitude areas and mountain passes shivered asthe mercury stayed 15 to 22 degrees below the freezing point.
Keylong and Kalpa in tribal areas and key tourist resortof Manali recorded a low of -10.6C, -3.6C and -2.4C.
Bhuntar groaned as the mercury touched the freezing pointand Sundernagar and Solan recorded minimum temperaturesof 0.8C and 1.0C, followed by Palampur 3.0C, Una 3.2C, Shimla3.3C, Dharamsala 5.8C and Nahan 6.1C.
But the continuing dry weather in absence of snowfall wasmaking farmers anxious as apple crops require rain and snowduring the month of December and January for a good harvest.
The local Met office has predicted rain or snowfall atisolated places in mid and higher hills tomorrow.
The dry weather in the plains is likely to continue foranother six days.
There has been no significant change in the maximumtemperatures. Una was hottest with a high of 21.5C, followedby Sundernagar 20.7C, Bhuntar 19.0C, Solan 18.8C, Nahan 18.0C,Dharamshala 14.8C, Shimla 13.3C, Kalpa 8.0C, Keylong 0.9C. PTIPCLABH.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.