Shimla, Mar 14 (IANS): After days of pleasant weather, the cold wave again tightened its grip over Himachal Pradesh Thursday as the state's higher reaches had a fresh spell of snow. However, there was widespread rainfall in low and mid hills, an official said.

The weather office here has forecast more snow and thundershowers till Friday.

Shimla was lashed by rain but nearby destinations, including Narkanda, experienced mild snowfall, the official said.

Likewise, the Solang ski slopes, 13 km uphill from Manali, saw more snow.

Lower areas of the state including Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi towns received moderate rains, bringing a considerable fall in temperature.

The minimum temperature was 4.3 degrees Celsius in Shimla, a fall from Wednesday's 10.8 degrees.

"The high hills in Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Kullu and Chamba districts have been experiencing light to moderate snowfall," said a weather department official.