Shimla, Jan 18 (IANS): The hills of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday saw slightly high temperatures due to prevailing dry weather, but the Met Office forecast rain and more snowfall next week.

"There are chances of rainfall and snowfall across the state from January 23," a meteorological office statement said.

It said the western disturbances -- storm systems originating from Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region -- would be active in the region from January 23.

Currently, most of the prominent tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Kasauli, Palampur, Dharamsala, Manali and Dalhousie, located in mid-hills, have been witnessing long sunny days.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in the state with a low of minus six degrees Celsius.

Shimla recorded the minimum temperature at 5.7, while it was minus 1.6 degrees Celsius in Kalpa in Kinnaur district, minus 0.4 degree in Manali, 7.6 degrees at Dharamsala, 2.2 degrees in Kufri and 4.5 degrees Celsius in Dalhousie.

The Met department's forecast of snowfall has brought cheer to the state's hospitality industry and the hope that snow will attract more tourists ahead of Republic Day.