The spell of cold weather continued in Uttarakhand on Sunday through the people enjoyed some brief respite with the sun shining in clear skies for sometime in the morning before the clouds gathered. Mukteshwar recorded the lowest temperature in the state on Sunday. According to information provided by the meteorological centre, the minimum temperature in Mukteshwar on Sunday was -1.7 ºC whereas the maximum temperature was 8. 3 ºC. Similarly, the minimum and maximum temperaturs were -1.4 ºC and 5.4 ºC in New Tehri, 5.4 ºC and 22 ºC in Pantnagar and 8.4 ºC and 19.8 ºC in the provisional state capital Dehradun on Sunday.
The weather forecast issued by the meteorological centre for Uttarakhand is dry weather likely to prevail with dense fog/fog likely to occur in some parts of plains especially in Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Nainital districts during next two days during the morning and night hours. Further, ground frost is also likely to occur in some parts of the mountainous regions during the next two days in the morning/night hours. On Monday, the weather forecast for Dehradun by the meteorological centre is mainly clear to partly cloudy sky with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 20ºC and 7ºC respectively.
The high altitude regions of the state remained covered in snow on Sunday though the white cover had reportedly started to melt in lower areas where the snow cover was thin. Towns in the mountainous regions including Pauri and Joshimath among others also enjoyed brief spells of sunlight. The snow covered slopes of Auli and other areas nearby in Joshimath, Chamoli district attracted tourists eager to make the most of the opportunity for recreation in the snow. The rainfall and snowfall reported from various parts of the state on the weekend has also come as a major relief for the farmers and cultivators of fruits including apple who had been facing a potentially substantial loss due to delayed rain and snowfall in the state. Those in the hospitality industry and various trades related to tourism are also doing brisk business following the change in weather on the weekend.