Cold wave persists in parts of Punjab, HP

Chandigarh, Jan 18 (UNI) North-West India continued to be under the impact of a cold wave even as the mercury rose at various places in the region today.

The cold wave conditions prevailing in north parts of Punjab and parts of Himachal Pradesh are likely to abate during the next 48 hours, according to the Weather Office here.

Amritsar, where the minimum temperature hovered below zero degrees yesterday, continued to the coldest place in the plains, recording 1.3 degrees celsius which was still four degrees below normal.

The mercury also rose at Patiala and Ludhiana, respectively registering 7.3 degrees and 7.7 degrees celsius, two degrees above normal.

In Haryana, where the cold wave has already abated, the temperatures stayed low although the mercury showed steady rise. The minimum hovered one degree below normal at Ambala recording 6.1 degrees celsius. Hissar registered 7.3 degrees celsius, one degree above normal, while Narnaul in Mahendergarh district showed 4.0 degrees celsius.

Despite a rise in the minimum temperature following a partially cloudy weather, cold wave conditions prevailed in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas. The city recorded the minimum at 8.6 degrees against 6.0 degrees recorded yesterday.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under the cold wave conditions. People in the tribal districts of Lahaul spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba district groaned under harsh cold wave. Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district also recorded a rise in the minimum temperature from minus 7.0 degrees to minus 5.0 degrees celsius.

The mercury settled at 0.4 degrees at Bhuntar in Kullu district and rose to 1.1 degrees at Sundernagar in Mandi district and 3.0 degrees at Shimla.

The minimum also rose at Delhi with Palam recording 6.0 degrees and Safderjung 9.7 degrees, three degrees above normal normal.

Cold wave persisted in Jammu and Kashmir even as the night temperature increased in Srinagar recording minus 0.3 degrees celsius which was two degrees above normal.

The Weather Office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers in Punjab and north-east Haryana and sunny days in the rest of Haryana during the next 24 hours.

UNI