Mussoorie, Jan. 9 -- The state witnessed a winter weather pattern marked by prolonged dry spells, dense fog in the plains and intense cold in the higher reaches over the past 24 hours, with reduced visibility disrupting normal life in several districts, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The plains bore the brunt of dense fog, with visibility dropping sharply in several areas. Kashipur recorded the lowest visibility at 50 metres, followed by Laksar and Pantnagar at 100 metres, while Khatima reported visibility of 150 metres. Meteorologists said shallow to moderate fog is likely to persist in isolated pockets of hilly valleys throughout the coming week, potentially affecting early morning movement. CS Tomar, director of the IMD Dehradun centre, said dry weather is likely to prevail across all districts from January 9 to 14. "No significant change in minimum temperatures is expected over the next two to three days, while dense fog is likely to occur at isolated places in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts and the plains of Nainital, Champawat, Pauri and Dehradun districts during the week," he said.htc...