Chill dampens X'mas festivities, mercury rises to 6.9 Degree C.

New Delhi, Dec 25 (UNI) Chill put a slight dampener on Christmas celebrations in Delhi today even though mercury rose slightly to 6.9 degrees Celsius.

Despite a rise in minimum temperature to 6.9 degrees C, cold Easterly winds continued to add chill to the atmosphere.

A chilly morning greeted Delhiites as they took part in the midnight mass in various churches in the capital. For, even though the minimum temperature rose to 6.9 degrees C, it was still one degree below normal.

The maximum temperature at 23.0 degrees C was also a degree below normal, the weathermen said.

The visibility levels, however, continued to remain normal.

A spokesperson of the Airports Authority of India said the visibility levels at the international airport were normal with no flight delays due to fog.

Though the coming one or two days could witness a slight let up in the chill, the end of the week could see a return to the chilly weather with the weathermen forecasting a fall in night temperatures due to a fresh phase of snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal and rain in Punjab and Haryana.

''Rain and snowfall is likely at a few places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal during next 48 hours.

Isolated rain or thundershowers are also likely over Punjab and Haryana, including Delhi, during the same period,'' weathermen said.

''So, while night temperatures are likely to rise by 2 to 3 degrees C during the next 24 hours, fall in night mercury over plains of northwest India is expected from Thursday onwards.

Fog conditions are also likely in some parts of these regions,''the met office said.

The met office has forecast a partly cloudy sky in Delhi during the next 24 hours with the possibility of lights rains and thundershowers in some areas tonight or tomorrow morning.

They have also forecast slight fog or mist in the morning hours.

The minimum temperature would rise to 9 degrees C tomorrow.

UNI AR VD HT1728