TEMPERATURE RISE IN HIMALAYAN REGION

Shimla, Jan 10:Cold conditions abated in the low lying areas of Himachal Pradesh Sunday with night temperatures rising by a few notches, even as the higher reaches continued to remain under sub-zero levels.

The minimum temperature at Shimla was 5.8 degrees Celsius, up from Saturday's 4.2 degrees, director of the meteorological office in Shimla Manmohan Singh told IANS.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district and Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded minimum temperatures of minus 11.9 degrees Celsius and minus 5.9 degrees Celsius as against lows of minus 11.7 degrees Celsius and minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, respectively, Saturday.

Elsewhere, Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded a low of 0.8 degrees, Bhuntar in Kullu district 0.0 degrees and Dharamsala in Kangra district 4.3 degrees Celsius.

Minimum temperatures in many parts of Himachal Pradesh rose Wednesday due to the prevailing dry weather, the Met office here said. The night temperature at Shimla rose appreciably, Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office, said. "Shimla recorded a low of 9 degrees Celsius Wednesday morning, a rise of 3.4 degrees from Tuesday," he said, attributing the rise in temperature to long sunny days. According to him, the state capital's minimum temperature was 7 degrees above average. Dharamsala in Kangra district also recorded a rise of 0.4 degrees in night temperature. The minimum temperature was 2.5 degrees, Singh said. Kalpa in Kinnaur district, which saw a minimum of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius Tuesday, recorded the minimum of minus 4 degrees Wednesday. However, Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded a low of 0.8 degrees and Bhuntar in Kullu 0.4 degrees, a dip from Tuesday's 2.7 and 1.2 degrees respectively. The Met office predicted dry weather across the state Wednesday. Last updated on Jan 6th, 2010 at 11:44 am IST--IANS

KalimNews: Inputs of extract about DARJEELING from http://www.cseindia.org/campaign/ew/ew_cop-8/terminator.htm
A guide map on the Mall records that the highest temperature in Darjeeling is 14.89°C. In 2000, temperatures shot up to 28°C.

"When I migrated from Nepal in 1926, the thick forests of Darjeeling were covered with snow for more than three months. Now it just gets blown by the winds like bits of paper."

– PHUL BAHADUR,

97, resident of Darjeeling. "Anthurium, a plant comfortable below 1,220 metres, is now thriving around our school, which is at about 2,285 metres."

– UMESH DWIVEDI,
Botany teacher, St. Paul’s School

"Pine is the indigenous tree of this region. Its growth is no longer luxuriant. Evergreen and deciduous trees of subtropical climate are flourishing."

– MICHEAL DUTTA