Himachal Pradesh weather update: Apple orchardists expect reprieve from prolonged dry spell as rain, snow forecast on Jan 9-10

The Newz Radar
SHIMLA: With the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, predicting light rain and snowfall in middle and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh on January 9 and 10, apple growers, other farmers and tourism industry stakeholders are expecting a reprieve and end to the prolonged dry spell if the forecast turns true.
A cold wave, meanwhile, has gripped various parts of Himachal Pradesh, pushing the night temperatures well below normal across the state. In Sundernagar, the minimum temperature has plummeted to 2.1 degrees below normal, while Palampur experiences a drop of 2.6 degrees below the usual minimum. Mandi faced an even more frigid night with temperatures registering 3.5 degrees below the seasonal average. Bhuntar recorded a minimum temperature 1.4 degrees below normal, and Dharamshala and Una also witnessed a drop of around 1 degree below normal.
Several areas in the state are grappling with temperatures hovering near zero, increasing the harsh winter conditions. Bhuntar and Reckongpeo reported a minimum temperature of -0.2 degrees Celsius. The mercury plummeted further to -2.6 degrees in Kalpa, it reached -5.7 degrees in Samadho and hit a bone-chilling -10.2 degrees in Kukumseri.
The frigid conditions persist in other parts of the state as well, with Mandi recording a minimum temperature of 0.5 degrees, Sundernagar 0.2 degrees Celsius, Una 2.0 degrees, Palampur at 2.5 degrees and Chamba 2.4 degrees. Additionally, smog and fog continue to blanket many areas in Mandi, Bilaspur, Una, Kangra, Sirmaur and Solan districts for several consecutive days.
Despite the intense cold during the night, daytime temperatures vary across the state. Una, in particular, witnesses a significant drop in maximum temperature, plummeting by 5.2 degrees to 14.2 degrees Celsius within 24 hours. Other maximum temperatures include 14.2 degrees Celsius in Shimla, 19.5 degrees in Sundernagar and Bhuntar, 11.9 degrees in Kalpa, and 18.5 degrees in Dharamshala. The daytime high is recorded at 17.2 degrees in Mandi, 9.4 degrees in Dalhousie, 8.7 degrees in Kukumseri, 14.8 degrees in Reckongpeo and 8.8 degrees Celsius in Samdho.