Mercury stays low in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, Feb 2 (UNI) The minimum temperatures stayed low in Punjab and Haryana but rose in adjoining Himachal Pradesh today.

Cold surface winds blew across the plains in Punjab where Amritsar with 5.0 degrees Celsius turned out to be coldest place even as the temperature slightly rose in the holy city. Ludhiana and Patiala recorded one degree to two degrees below normal temperature, respectively recording 5.4 degrees and 7.1 degrees Celsius.

In Haryana, the mercury dipped from 10.1 degrees to 6.6 degrees at Ambala, 10.3 degrees to 7.2 degrees at Karnal and from 11.1 degrees to 10.3 degrees at Hissar. The temperature hovered at 7.0 degrees at Narnaul in Mahendergarh district.

The minimum temperature increased in several areas of Himachal Pradesh where cold wave conditions prevailed in tribal areas.

The minimum rose to 3.0 degrees, one degree above normal, at Bhuntar in Kullu district and to 4.4 degreees at Sunderdnagar in Mandi district. Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district also recorded rise in the temperature from 0.2 degrees to 1.6 degrees.

However, the temperature declined in Shimla and its surrounding areas. The capital town recorded 6.7 degrees Celsius which was five degrees above normal.

People groaned under cold wave in Kashmir valley with Srinagar recording minus 0.6 degrees while Jammu showed 10.3 degrees.

Chandigarh recorded a drastic fall by five degrees in the minimum temperature which had appreciably increased a few days ago. The city registered 7.4 degrees Celsius.

The Weather Office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

UNI