No white New Year’s eve in Himachal, but snow expected soon

Shimla, Jan 1 (IANS) Hill stations of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday experienced a sunny morning on the first day of 2017, but there are chances of snow this week, a weather official said here.

"Dry weather to prevail in the state till January 3," an official at the Meteorological Office told IANS.

In the state capital Shimla, a bright, sunny but bone-chilling Saturday dashed the hopes of revellers to bid goodbye to 2016 in snow.

Besides Shimla, other popular destinations like Kufri, Narkanda, Kasauli, Dharamsala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Manali too were totally devoid of any snow.

Shimla on Sunday saw a low of 4.6 degrees Celsius, while it was one degree Celsius in tourist resort of Manali.

The night temperature in Keylong, the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti, was recorded at minus 4.1 degrees, in Kalpa in Kinnaur district minus 1.4 degrees and in Dharamsala town at 8.8 degrees Celsius.

However, the weather office said there are chances of snow in mid and high hills of the state from January 4-6.

"The western disturbances are approaching the region on January 3. If these remain active for a few days, snow would cover most of the tourist spots," it added.

Western disturbance is a storm system originating inn the Mediterranean Sea that brings rains or snow in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent.