Mercury plunges to minus 3.8 degrees Celsius at Adampur

Chandigarh, Jan 6 (UNI) Biting cold wave lashed north-west India today following a steep fall in the temperature with mercury touching minus 3.8 degrees Celsius at Adampur in Punjab.

Adampur, near Jalandhar, reeled around under intense cold wave for the third successive day today and continued to be the coldest place in the plains as the minimum hovered five degrees to seven degrees Celsius below normal in Punjab.

Cold to severe cold wave conditions, prevailing in most parts of Punjab and many parts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, are likely to continue for the next two days, according to the Weather Office here.

It warned of ground frost formation at most places in Punjab and many places in Haryana during the next two nights.

Despite a bright sunshine greeting the people cold wave continued across Chandigarh and adjoining areas during the day. The city recorded the minimum at zero degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal, against 2.6 degrees registered yesterday.

People groaned under biting cold in Punjab as the temperature stayed low. A piercing cold wave lashed Ludhiana and Amritsar with the minimum dipping below freezing point in twin cities.

Ludhiana recorded minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal, and Amritsar minus 1.3 degrees, five degrees below normal.

Patiala also recorded seven degrees below normal temperature at 0.2 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave swept across Haryana unabated with the temperature hovering at five to six degrees below normal. Ambala recorded 1.4 degrees, six degrees below normal while Karnal showed 2.0 degrees, five degrees below normal. Narnaul in Mahendergarh district recorded 3.0 degrees and Hissar 6.6 degrees, two degrees above normal.

The cold wave and fog-related mishaps have already claimed 17 lives in Punjab and Haryana so far.

Himachal Pradesh also shivered under extreme cold conditions.

Lakes, springs and natural water bodies in the tribal areas have already frozen. Mercury hovered at minus 6.7 degrees at Kalpa in the tribal Kinnaur district.

Intense cold wave also lashed mid and lower hills in the state.

Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded the minimum at minus 1.9 degrees while Bhuntar in Kullu district reported minus 1.3 degrees, two degrees below normal. Icy-cold winds lashed the capital town of Shimla recording a minimum of minus 1.4 degrees, three degrees below normal.

The Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of unabated cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 1.1 degrees while Jammu registered 4.1 degrees, four degrees below normal.

The Met Office has predicted mainly sunny days in the region with fog or mist in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

UNI