Most parts of Himachal Pradesh shivered under biting cold wave as the mercury hovered around freezing point in several places on Thursday.
Lower hill areas like Bhuntar, Solan and Una experienced the coldest night of the season with mercury dipping to minus 0.4 degree, Solan 0.5 degree and 1.4 degrees Celsius.
Water pipes froze and burst at several places and a thick fog engulfed the towns along the river banks while ground frost occurred at many places, affecting vehicular traffic in the morning hours.
The high altitude tribal areas and mountain passes groaned under arctic-like conditions with mercury staying 14 to 21 degrees Celsius below freezing point.