Cold wave sweeps north-west region

Chandigarh, Feb 4 (UNI) The north-west India continued to be in the grip of cold wave following fresh snowfall in Himachal Pradesh and rain in the plains since last night.

Chilly winds blew across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigrh Union Territory despite a bright sunshine during the day.

Certain areas in the region, including Hindon, Sirsa and Ambala were enveloped in dense fog, reducing visibility considerably in these areas, while Adampur, Bhatinda, Udhampur and Palam in Delhi experienced mist in the morning.

A piercing cold wave swept Punjab and Haryana following rains at certain places overnight in the twin states where the night temperatures hovered below normal.

Ludhiana with 3.1 degrees celsius, four degrees below normal, turned out to be coldest place in Punjab, followed by Amritsar recording 3.4 degrees and Patiala registering 5.0 degrees celsius.

Adampur, near Jalandhar, recorded the minimum temperature at 4.2 degrees and Halwara 5.8 degrees celsius. The temperatures in the Malwa belt also showed a marginal decrease with Bathinda recording the minimum at 5.4 degrees. However, the minimum temperature showed an upward movement at at the border town of Pathankot registering 7.2 degrees.

The cold wave also lashed Haryana where the minimum temperatures dipped three degrees to five degrees below normal in the wake of rain.

Ambala with 4.1 degrees was the coldest place in the state while Narnaul recorded 4.2 degrees, Hissar 6.2 degrees and Karnal 6.4 degrees celsius.

A severe cold wave swept Himachal Pradesh following another spell of snowfall in higher reaches and rain in mid and lower areas of the state.

The entire Kullu and Kangra valleys were under the impact of cold wave following snowfall on the Rohtang Pass and Dhauladhar ranges.

The minimum settled at 2.4 degrees at Bhuntar in Kullu district and at 3.1 degrees at Sundernagar in Mandi district.

Shimla and its adjoining areas, which experienced snowfall yesterday, were also lashed by cold wave. The capital town recorded the minimum at minus 0.9 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were also facing cold wave conditions even as the mercury rose. The city recorded the minimum at 4.8 degrees celsisus, two degrees below normal.

Cold wave conditions, prevailing in parts of Punjab and Haryana, Himachal Pradesh are likely to abate in the next two days, according to the Met Office here.

The Kashmir valley also continued to be in the grip of cold wave with Srinagar recording zero degrees while Jammu was warmer at 7.1 degrees.

The Met office predicted light to moderate rain or snow at few places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Punjab and north Haryana and partly cloudy days in the rest of Haryana during the next 48 hours.

UNI VKJ JS1807