North India shivers; Delhi records season''s coldest day

New Delhi, December 20 

Cold wave conditions prevailed in north Indian states on Thursday, with Delhi, which experienced the coldest day of the season so far at 4 degrees Celsius, and most parts of Punjab and Haryana recording temperatures lower than hill station Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.

Delhiites woke up to a chilly morning even as Shimla recorded a low of 6.3 degrees Celsius, higher than the minimum temperature in the national capital, the Meteorological (Met) Department. 

It said the cold wave in Delhi would continue to prevail till December 22.

The maximum temperature in the national capital dropped to 22.3 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 4 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season's average, the lowest minimum temperature recorded in December since 2014, a Met official said.

On Wednesday, the minimum temperature had settled at 5.2 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 22.3 degrees Celsius.

Thursday saw cold wave conditions intensify in Kashmir as the minimum temperature dropped at most places and residents in some areas of the city reported freezing of water supply lines.

The night temperature dipped drastically in Leh district of Ladakh region as the mercury plunged nearly nine degrees Wednesday, the Met Department said.

The mercury fell from minus 6 degrees Celsius on the previous night to minus 14.7 degrees Celsius, a Met official said.

In Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- the night temperature stood at minus 4.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, he said.

The normal for this time of season in the city is minus 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The official said Qazigund -- the gateway town to the valley in south Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while nearby Kokernag town registered a low of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius and Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius Wednesday night, he said.

The night temperature in Pahalgam, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius Wednesday.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius last night, the official said.

The normal for this time of the winter in the twin resorts is minus 4.4 degrees Celsius and minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Cold conditions are expected to intensify as the valley braces for the harshest 40-day winter period called 'Chillai Kalaan', which will begin on Friday.

In neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, the minimum temperatures hovered below normal limits at most places, the weatherman said.

Dense fog led to reduced visibility at many places, including Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Adampur, Hisar and Ambala.

Adampur in Punjab was the coldest place in the two states, recording a minimum temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius, he said.

The night temperature in Ludhiana was recorded at 2.3 degrees Celsius, Bathinda reeled at 2.9 degrees Celsius, Amritsar at 3.6 degrees Celsius, Halwara at 4.4 degrees Celsius, Patiala at 5.6 degrees Celsius and Pathankot at 5.5 degrees Celsius, the weatherman added.

In Haryana, Hisar was the coldest place, recording a low of 2.1 degrees Celsius, while Narnaul settled at 2.5 degrees Celsius, Ambala at 3.7 degrees Celsius, Rohtak at 3.2 degrees Celsius, Sirsa at 4.6 degrees Celsius and Karnal at 4 degrees Celsius, all below normal for this time of the year.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 5.6 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperatures at most places in the plains of Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh, were lower than Shimla, the MeT official said.

Cold weather conditions will continue in Haryana and Punjab over the next few days, he said. - PTI