Cold winds sweep across Northwest, Amritsar cold at 1.5 Deg

Chandigarh, Jan 13 (UNI) Despite a clear day, people reeled under cold climatic conditions in many parts of northwest India as cold winds from the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh swept across the region.

Certain areas in the region reported foggy weather reducing the visibility while Chandigarh, Ambala, Sirsa, Sarsawa, Hindon, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Udhampur and Srinagar experienced haze.

The minimum hovered one degree to three degrees below normal at most places in Punjab and Haryana. Ground frost may occur at few places in these states during the next two nights.

Despite the bright sunshine, cold surface winds blew across the plains in Punjab where Amritsar with 1.5 degrees, three degrees below normal, turned out to be coldest place.

The minimum settled at 6.3 degrees at Ludhiana and 6.5 degrees at Patiala.

The night temperatures in Haryana rose slightly but this did not provide any respite from the cold wave conditions. Narnaul was the coldest place in the state, recording 4.0 degrees Celsius.

Ambala recorded the minimum at 5.7 degrees, Karnal 5.6 degrees, Rohtak 6.8 degrees and Hisar 6.8 degrees Celsius.

Cold conditions prevailed in many areas of Himachal Pradesh. A piercing cold wave swept the tribal districts of Lahaul spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba district, where the minimum hovered below freezing point. Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded minus 1.7 degrees Celsius.

The twin valleys of Kullu and Kangra were under the impact of severe cold. The minimum Bhuntar in Kullu district was 2.2 degrees while at Sundernagar it was 2.8 degrees. The minimum at Una dipped to 2.8 degrees while at Dharamshala it was 7.5 degrees.

The residents at the capital resort of Shimla basked in the sunshine today though the evenings were cold with icy winds sweeping across the hills. The minimum in the capital town was 4.1 degrees.

Chandigarh which exprienced bright sunshine today recorded a minimum temperature of 6.5 degrees.

The Weather Office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and sunny days in Punjab and Haryana during the next 48 hours.

UNI HS BDP DB1824