Cold wave intensifies in region

Chandigarh, Jan 12 (UNI) Cold wave, currently sweeping north-west India, intensified today following further fall in the night temperatures hovering 4 degrees to 7 degrees Celsius below normal at many places in Punjab and Haryana.

Certain areas in the region were enveloped in thick fog reducing the visibility to zero at Udhampur, Halwara and Sarsawa and upto 100 metres at Adampur, 200 metres at Hindon, 300 metres at Ambala, 400 metres at Amritsar, 500 metres at Palam (Delhi) and 600 metres at Sirsa.

Biting cold wave lashed Punjab with Adampur, near Jalandhar, continuing to be the coldest place in the plains, recording minus 1.4 degrees Celsius. People groaned under intense cold wave at Ludhiana where the minimum dipped to minus 1 degree Celsius, 7 degrees below normal.

Amritsar and Patiala were also under the impact of severe cold wave with minimum temperatures plummeting respectively to 0.1 degree and 1.6 degrees, five degrees below normal.

Cold wave also swept Haryana with the minimum temperatures declining by 4 degrees to 6 degrees below normal. The mercury settled at 0.8 degree, six degrees below normal at Karnal, followed by Narnaul in Mahendergarh district recording 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Ambala showed 3.4 degrees, 4 degrees below normal, and Hissar registered 4.7 degrees.

Cold wave persisted unabated in Himachal Pradesh with tribal areas experiencing extreme cold wave conditions following further fall in the mercury. Kalpa in Kinnuar district recorded a night temperature of minus 6.9 degrees as against minus 4.7 degrees Celsius registered yesterday.

Cold wave conditions prevailed in Mandi, Kullu and Kangra districts. Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded the minimum at 0.4 degree while Bhuntar in Kullu district reported minus 0.7 degree, 2 degrees below normal.

Icy-cold winds lashed the capital town of Shimla with the night temperature dropping to 1.0 degree Celsius from 2.3 degrees recorded yesterday.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana also reeled under intense cold wave even as the minimum slightly rose to 2.4 degrees which was, however, still five degrees below normal.

The entire Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of severe cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailing in most parts of Punjab, many parts of Haryana and some parts of 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.

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

UNI