Parts of north India shiver in cold spell

Large swathes of north India reeled under below normal temperatures on Monday, resulting in fog blanketing parts of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and a layer of frost covering roads in the Kashmir Valley. Bone-chilling cold swept Himachal Pradesh, which experienced sub-zero temperatures.

The national capital, however, saw a slight increase in the minimum temperature due to cloud cover. The city recorded a low of 8.3 degrees Celsius, up from 7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The maximum temperature settled at 16.7 degrees Celsius, down from Sunday's 17.7 degrees Celsius, it said. Dense fog is expected in Delhi on Tuesday morning and rains towards the evening due to a fresh western disturbance affecting the northwestern region of the country, the IMD said.

In the Kashmir Valley, there was no respite from cold as the minimum temperature stayed several degrees below the freezing point, the Meteorological Department said. The freezing temperatures led to development of a layer of frost on roads, which caused inconvenience to people, especially motorists. But bright sunshine later in the day eased the situation.

READ: Intense Cold Conditions In Kashmir Valley

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.4 degree Celsius, almost a notch lower than Sunday's minus 2.5 degrees Celsius. The mercury in Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius. Tourist resort Pahalgam was the coldest place in the valley with a low of minus 9 degrees Celsius. The weather department has forecast scattered to widespread light to moderate rain or snow in the valley over the next two days.

Neighbouring Himachal Pradesh also recorded sub-zero temperatures. Kufri recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali (minus 2.8 degrees Celsius), Shimla MeT Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.

Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 14.4 degrees Celsius, he said. Kinnaur's Kalpa recorded a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius.

The mercury settled at a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius in Shimla, the state capital. The MeT centre has forecast rains, snowfall in middle and higher hills as well as thundershowers in plains and lower hills of the state till January 22.

Cold weather conditions persisted in most parts of Punjab and Haryana. Haryana's Narnaul was the coldest place in the two states with a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, a MeT Department official said. Union Territory of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a low of 7.3 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala recorded a minimum temperature of 7.4, 6.9 and 8.1 degrees Celsius, respectively. In Haryana, the mercury in Ambala, Hisar and Karnal settled at a low of 7.6, 6.5 and 8 degrees Celsius respectively.

Fog was also witnessed at several places in the two states, including Ludhiana, Patiala, Chandigarh, Narnaul, Hisar and Karnal. Uttar Pradesh experienced dry weather with cold conditions at isolated places, the weather department said. Isolated places across the state also witnessed dense to very dense fog, it said. According to the MeT department, the weather in the state is most likely to remain dry and shallow to moderate fog is very likely at isolated places till Thursday.

In Rajasthan, the night temperatures continued to remain below normal, the MeT department said. Sikar was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of 2 degrees Celsius. Churu recorded a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, followed by Banasthali (4.2), Pilani (4.3), Dabok (4.9), Alwar (5.6), Eranpura Road (7) and Sriganganagar (7.6). The weather office has predicted no change in the weather in the next 24 hours.

READ: Mercury Dips In North India; Bone-chilling Cold In Kashmir, Himachal