Shimla, Jan 20 (Reporter) Dry cold persists in Himachal Pradesh districts, causing increased morning and evening weather in areas like Kangra, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti due to decreased minimum temperature. Kukumseri recorded a minimum temperature of minus 11.3 degrees Celsius. There was dense fog in many areas of Solan, Sirmaur and Mandi including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Una on Saturday morning. Visibility was less than 200 meters in many areas. The severity of the cold is continuously increasing in Hamirpur district. Due to fog and mist, people have been forced to hide in their homes. Dense fog was visible at the headquarters until 10:00 am on Saturday. According to the Meteorological Center Shimla, the weather is expected to remain clear in the state for the next six days. However, today, light rain and snowfall are forecast at one or two places in the high mountains. According to the department, the weather is likely to remain clear in all the plains, central, and high mountain parts of the state until January 26. At the same time, a yellow alert has been issued for dense fog for two days in some parts of the plain districts. There is a possibility of dense fog in the morning in different parts of Bilaspur, Una, Mandi, Kangra (Nurpur), Sirmaur (Paonta Sahib and Dhaula Kuan) and Solan (Baddi and Nalagarh) till January 22. Drivers have been advised to travel with caution. Meanwhile, due to dense fog and cold in Una district, the opening time of all government and private schools has now been changed to 10:00 am instead of 9:00 am. At the same time, like before, schools will continue to close at 3:00 pm, with a half-hour class time offset by reducing prayer meetings and half holidays. These orders of the district administration for schools will remain in force till January 31. The opening time of primary schools in the district was changed to 10:00 am about two weeks ago. Deputy Commissioner Una Raghav Sharma said that in view of the health-related safety of schoolchildren due to the continuous extreme cold in the district, the administration has taken this decision after the recommendation of the Deputy Director Higher Education. Raghav Sharma said that the compensation for the reduced time will be compensated by eliminating the time of prayer meetings and lunch breaks. This order will be applicable to all the schools in the district from January 22 to January 31, 2024. The minimum temperature was minus five at five places in the state, and zero degree Celsius was recorded at four places. Minimum temperature in Shimla 3.0, Sundernagar 0.9, Bhuntar 0.2, Kalpa -3.4, Dharamshala 5.2, Una 5.0, Nahan 7.5, Palampur 2.5, Solan 1.3, Manali -0.4, Kangra 2.5, Mandi 0.9, Dalhousie 2.8, Jubbarhatti 5.0, Kufri 1.6, Kukumseri -11.3, Narkanda 0.1, Reckong Peo -0.9, Seaubag 0.4, Dhaulakuan 9.6, Barthin 4.8, Samdo -6.5, Paonta Sahib 6.0, Sarahan 1.0 and Dehragopipur recorded 6.0 degrees Celsius...////...