New Delhi: North India on Wednesday recorded below normal temperatures remaining under the grip of a cold wave which has already claimed 135 lives so far.
Though residents of the Kashmir Valley got a slight
respite from the intense cold today, the minimum temperatures
across the region remained several degrees below the freezing
point with Leh recording minus 16 degrees.
The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar,
recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius,
an increase of 1.3 degrees from yesterday, a MeT official
said.
Small stagnant water bodies and water-filled road
potholes in the city were covered with a layer of ice.
The remote Leh district of Ladakh region witnessed a
decrease of 1.6 degrees in the minimum temperature which
settled at minus 16.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
Dense fog descended over some parts of the capital Delhi
this morning even as minimum temperature rose by a degree.
The mercury dipped to 5.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees
below normal and up from yesterday`s 3.4 degrees Celsius,
while the maximum was at 22.3 degrees, two degrees above
normal and up from yesterday`s 20.3 degrees.
However, the fog cover over the city reduced visibility
to 200 metres in the city during the morning hours slowing
down vehicular movement. But there were no reports of any
traffic pile-up.
Biting cold prevailed in most parts of Punjab and Haryana
today with fog affecting normal life in some areas.
Amritsar in Punjab recorded sub-zero minimum temperatures
for the third day today, with the low settling at minus 1.4
degrees Celsius, down four notches from normal.
Ludhiana also experienced a cold night at 2.2 deg C, down
five degrees, while Patiala`s minimum was recorded at 5.2 deg
C.
In Haryana, Hisar once again turned out to be the coldest
place recording a minimum of 1.1 deg C, down five notches,
while Bhiwani registered a low of 2.2 deg C.
Rohtak recorded a low of 3.5 deg C, down three notches
while Karnal`s low settled at 5.4 deg C.
Chandigarh continued to enjoy sunny weather during the
day while the overnight temperature recorded today was 5.7 deg
C.
The MeT said that fog reduced visibility early today at
Bhiwani, Rohtak, Karnal and Hisar in Haryana and at Ludhiana
and Amritsar in Punjab.
In Rajasthan, Churu recorded the lowest temperature of
1.9 degrees Celsius followed by Sriganganagar at 2.2 degrees
Celsius.
Sawaimadhopur, Pilani, Bharatpur, Sikar and Vanasthali
shivered at 2.8, 3.6, 3.7, 4.7 and 5 degree Celsius
respectively, according to the MeT department here.
Pink city Jaipur had a low of 5.8 deg C, while Bundi
recorded a minimum of 6.4 deg C.
Jaisalmer and Bikaner had a low of 7.2 deg C and 8.4 deg
C respectively.
While Kota, Barmer and Banswara had a low of 9.4, 11.4
and 13.5 degree Celsius.
In the east, Kolkata recorded a maximum of 26 degree
celsius one degree below normal and a minimum of 18 degree
which is four degree above normal.
PTI
