Ludhiana coldest in the North West plains

Chandigarh, Dec 25 (UNI) The night temperatures stayed low in the North West, with Punjab's largest city, Ludhiana recording a minimum temperature of 0.6 degrees celsius, turning it into the coldest place in the plains.

Dense fog enveloped many areas in Punjab and Haryana resulting in vehicles ramming into each at many places due to poor visibility.

At least 22 persons sustained injuries in four different accidents in the vicinity of Phagwara in Punjab.

In Punjab, people groaned under biting cold with Amritsar recording the minimum temperature at 2.6 degrees celsius, two degrees below normal. Patiala recorded a minimum of 5.6 degrees.

In Haryana, the mercury also stayed low with Ambala and Karnal, recording 7.7 degrees and 7.8 degrees celsius respectively. Rohtak and Narnaul were slghtly better off, recording 9.2 degrees and 9.0 degrees respectively.

In Himachal Pradesh, the temperature continued to stay below freezing point in the tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Bharmour in Chamba district.

Bhuntar in Kullu district recorded a low of 1.2 degrees while Sundernagar in Mandi district showed 1.8 degrees celsius. However, the minimum temperature at the state capital, Shimla was normal at 4.5 degrees celsius.

In the lower hills, Una was cold at 2.2 degrees while Kalpa in the higher reaches of the state was freezing at minus 1.7 degrees.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas had bright sunshine, with the city recording a minimum temperature of 8.0 degrees, two degrees above normal.

Ground frost is likely to occur at few places in Punjab and at isolated places in haryana during the next two nights, according to the Weather Office here.

It predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and mainly sunny days with fog or mist in the morning and evening in Punjab and Haryana during the next 48 hours.

UNI