Night temperatures dip in N-W region

Chandigarh, Feb 17 (UNI) Night temperatures again dipped in the North-West region following fresh snowfall in high altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh and rain in lower areas of the state during the past 24 hours.

The minimum temperature hovered one degree to four degrees Celsius below normal even as several areas in the region experienced fog which reduced visibility to nil in Halwara, Suratgarh and Palam (Delhi) and upto 100 metres at Adampur, 200 metres at Udhampur, Sirsa and Sarsawa and 500 metres at Hindon.

Cold conditions prevailed in Punjab as the mercury again fell with Adampur recording 4.4 degrees C, the lowest temperature recorded in the plains. Ground frost is likely to occur at isolated places in the state during the next two nights, according to the Met Office here.

Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala also recorded a fall in the mercury, respectively showing 5.4 degrees, 5.7 degrees and 6.1 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature also dropped at various places in Haryana, including Karnal and Hissar respectively recording 6.7 degrees and 10.3 degrees, two degrees below normal. However, the minimum temprature remained static at 8.7 degrees at Ambala.

Cold wave persisted in Himachal Pradesh following fresh snowfall in higher reaches of the state, plummeting the temperatures considerably. People groaned under biting cold wave in the tribal belt where the mercury hovered below the freezing point. The minimum further dipped at Kalpa in Kinnaur district, recording minus 6.2 degrees.

The capital town of Shimla experienced sleet. The night temperature here was as low as minus 0.5 degrees celsius, which was four degrees below normal, and 7.0 mm rain till 0830 hours.

The minimum also fell at Bhuntar in Kullu district and Sundernagar in Mandi district, respectively recording 2.0 degrees and 2.4 degrees. Some lower areas in the state had rain.

The night temperatures slightly rose in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas with the city recording 8.4 degrees as against 8.0 degrees recorded yesterday.

The weather Office has predcited light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh while the weather will be mainly dry in Punjab and Haryana in the next 24 hours.

UNI