Mercury slides to minus 1.5 degrees at Keylong

Mercury plummets under subzero in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh in Saturday as Minimum temperature of Keylong recorded minus 1.5 degrees, the Indian meteorological department said. Keylong, district headquarter of Lahaul-Spiti district received one centimetres snowfall in last 24 hrs and light to moderate snowfall on the high reaches.Minimum temperature in others parts of state was one to two degrees below normal after two spell of snowfall in last 48 hrs. Downstream area including Palampur of Kangra district had 12 mm rain and Kukumseri (Lahaul-Spiti)5.5 mm. Minimum temperature at Kukumseri was also minus 1.4 degrees.Kalpa and Reckongpeo was 1.6 and 5.3 degrees, Tourist resort, Manali and Narkanda 4 &5.9 degrees about one dgree below normal. Dalhousie and State capital Shimla ten degrees.Met.Office forecast mainly dry weather in next 24 hrs however coldwave likely to intensify in the state goes to Assembly poll on November 12 next. . Election Commission of India has already issued directive to tribal districts administration to make alternat arrangements of polling in wake of closing down roads due to early snowfall.