Amritsar records minus 1.1 degrees Celsius

Chandigarh, Feb 14 (UNI) There was no let up in the cold wave currently sweeping the North-West India with Amritsar and Adampur in Punjab recording the minimum temperatures at minus 1.1 degrees Celsius.

Despite a bright sunshine greeting the people chilly winds swept the region in the wake of night temperatures staying two degrees to eight degrees Celsius below normal.

A severe cold wave lashed Punjab with Amritsar and Adampur airbase, near Jalandhar, continuing to be the coldest places in the plains. The mercury hovered seven degrees below normal in the holy city.

The minimum plummeted below normal by four degrees at Ludhiana and three degrees at Patiala, respectively recording 4.2 degrees and 5.6 degrees Celsius.

However, the night temperature recorded an increase from 1.6 degrees to 2.6 degrees at Halwara Airforce station, near Ludhiana while the border town of Pathankot and Bathinda were cold at 4.4 degrees celsius.

The cold wave also lashed some parts of Haryana with the night temperature hovering two degrees to seven degrees below normal.

The minimum dropped to 1.0 degree, seven degrees below normal, at Narnaul in Mahendergarh district while Karnal showed 3.2 degrees and Ambala 3.4 degrees, six degrees below normal. The mercury, however, settled at 6.3 degrees at Rohtak and 6.1 degrees at Hissar.

Cold wave conditions, prevailing in some parts of Punjab and Haryana, are likely to abate in the next one day or two days, according to the Weather Office here. It warned that ground frost was likely to occur at isolated places in the twin states during the next two nights.

Cold wave also swept Chandigarh and its adjoining areas even as the mercury slightly rose. The city recorded the minimum at 5.6 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal.

Cold wave conditions also prevailed in Himachal Pradesh with tribal areas experiencing extreme cold conditions. The mercury hovered at minus 6.5 degrees at Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district.

Cold wave also lashed mid and lower hills in the state. Tourist town of Manali recorded the minimum temperature at minus 2.0 degrees, followed by Una registering zero degrees, Bhuntar 0.3 degrees and Sundernagar 0.8 degrees Celsius.

However, the mercury rose at Shimla recording the minimum temperature 3.6 degrees, one degree above normal. Icy-cold winds blew across the capital town and tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda in Shimla district.

The Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of unabated cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 4.7 degrees while Jammu registered 5.4 degrees, four degrees below normal.

The Weather Office has predicted light to modrate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and partly cloudy days in Punjab and Haryana during the next 48 hours. The night temperatures are likely to increase by two degrees to three degrees Celsius in the region.

UNI VKJ SY GC1841