Cold wave continues unabated on the New Year in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, Jan 1 (UNI) Cold wave continued unabated on the New Year in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Union Territory today with Amritsar recording the night temperature at minus 0.8 degrees Celsius.

A thick fog enveloped several areas in the region, reducing visibility upto 300 metres at Sarsawa and 800 metres at Adampur, Ambala, Hindon, Chandigarh and Palam in Delhi. The fog, however, disappeared as the day advanced.

The minimum temperatures hovered below normal by six degrees at Ambala, Karnal and Patiala, five degrees at Amritsar and Chandigarh, four degrees at Narnaul, Safderjung and Jammu and three degrees at Rohtak and Ludhiana.

Cold wave conditions, prevailing in parts of Punjab and Haryana, are likely to continue for the next two days, according to the Met Office here. It warned of ground frost formation at many places in the twin states during the next two nights.

A piercing cold wave swept Punjab, with the holy city of Amritsar recording minus 0.8 degrees while Adampur, near Jalandhar, registered minus 0.6 degrees.

Cold surface winds blew across Patiala and Ludhiana, respectively registering 1.0 degrees and 2.7 degrees.

The Minimum plunged to 1.8 degrees at Halwara Airbase, near Ludhiana, 4.6 degrees at Pathankot and 5.2 degrees at Bhatinda, a report from Jalandhar said.

The cold wave also lashed Haryana where the minimum temperatures dipped three degrees to six degrees below normal.

Narnaul with 1.0 degrees was the coldest place in the state while Ambala and Karnal recorded 1.2 degrees each. Rohtak showed 2.9 degrees and Hissar 4.9 degrees.

Cold wave conditions also prevailed in parts of Himachal Pradesh, including tribal areas where the minimum hovered below freezing point. Kalpa in Kinnaur district showed minus 1.4 degrees.

The Kullu valley and lower hills of the state were also under the impact of cold climatic conditions.

The minimum dipped to minus 2.8 degrees at Una in lower hills while Bhuntar in Kullu district recorded 0.9 degrees and Sundernagar in Mandi district 0.6 degrees.

Shimla and its surrounding areas also reeled under cold climatic conditions. The capital town recorded 3.5 degrees, one degree above normal.

People reeled under severe cold wave in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas following further drop in the mercury. The city recorded the minimum temperature at 1.4 degrees, five degrees below normal.

The Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of biting cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 4.0 degrees while Jammu registered 3.2 degrees, four degrees below normal.

The Met office predicted partly cloudy days in Himachal Pradesh and mainly sunny days in Punjab and Haryana during the next 48 hours.

UNI VKJ SHB PM1813