Mercury dips in region

Chandigarh, Nov 28 (UNI) Temperatures continued to dip in the plains even as the sun shone bright and clear in the north-west region today.

A thick fog enveloped several areas in the region, including Bhatinda, Sarsawa, Hindon, Halwara, Sirsa and Ambala, reducing visibility considerably at these places. The fog, however, disappeared as the day advanced.

Ludhiana, where the minimum temperature hovered four degrees below normal, turned out to be the coldest place in the plains, recording 5.4 degrees celcius while the holy city of Amritsar registered 5.6 degrees, one degree below normal. Patiala showed 7.4 degrees, two degrees below normal.

In Haryana, the minimum hovered at 5.5 degrees celsius, five degrees below normal at Narnaul while Ambala and Karnal recorded a low of 6.8 degrees. The temperature also fell at Rohtak recording 8.3 degrees.

The mercury also plummeted in many areas of Himachal Pradesh. Cold wave swept the tribal areas of the state where the minimum hovered below freezing point. Kalpa in Kinnaur district showed 0.3 degrees.

Kullu valley was under the impact of cold climatic following further drop in the temprature. The minimum dipped to 2.0 degrees at Bhuntar and to 2.2 degrees at Manali. Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded 1.7 degrees.

Shimla, however, was a warmer place with the minimum settling at 11.3 degrees, five degrees above normal.

Chandigarh also recorded a fall in the minimum temperature hovering one degree below normal. The city registered the minimum at 6.8 degrees.

Rain or snow is likely to occur at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh while the weather will be partly cloudy in Punjab and Haryana tomorrow.

UNI