Amritsar records minus 0.5 degree Celsius

Chandigarh, Jan 17 (UNI) Cold wave persisted in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh with the mercury dipping to minus 0.5 degree Celsius at Amritsar, turning it the coldest place in the plains even as a bright sunshine greeted the people in the region today.

Certain areas in the region were shrouded in thick fog which reduced the visibility to zero at Adampur and upto 600 metres at Sarsawa, 800 metres at Hindon, and 900 metres at Palam (Delhi).

The holy city of Amritsar reeled under severe cold wave following further fall in the minimum temperature hovering six degrees below normal. The mercury also stayed two degrees below normal at Patiala, recording 5.0 degrees, and settled at 5.8 degrees at Ludhiana.

The cold wave conditions prevailing in some parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are likely to abate during the next two days, according to the Weather Office here.

In Haryana, where the cold wave abated yesterday, the temperatures continued to stay low, hovering one degree below normal at Karnal and Ambala, respectively recording 5.7 degrees and 5.8 degrees Celsius. Hissar registered 7.1 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal.

Cold wave conditions prevailed in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas despite a rise in the minimum temperature by two degrees Celsius. The city recorded the minimum at 6.0 degrees against 4.0 degrees recorded yesterday.

Himachal Pradesh continued to be under the imapct of cold wave conditions with the entire tribal belt facing extreme cold conditions following further fall in mercury. Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district also recorded a further decline in the minimum temperature to minus 7.0 degrees from minus 6.1 degrees recorded yesterday.

The mid and lower hills of the state were also lashed by cold wave. Bhuntar in Kullu district recorded 0.1 degrees and Sundernagar in Mandi district 0.4 degrees Celsius. The mercury also dipped in Shimla from 2.7 degrees to 2.0 degrees Celsius.

The minimum slightly rose at Delhi with Safderjung recording 5.1 degrees, two degrees below normal. Chilly weather prevailed in the national capital in the morning as Palam and its surrounding areas experienced fog.

There was no let up in the cold wave in Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar recording the minimum at minus 4.0 degrees Celsius while the mercury settled at 5.7 degrees, two degrees below normal, at Jammu.

The Weather Office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow in Himachal Pradesh and partly cloudy days in Punjab and Haryana with mist or haze occuring during night and morning in the next 24 hours.

UNI