Night temperatures further dip in plains

Chandigarh, Feb 27 (UNI) Night temperatures further plummeted in most parts of Punjab and Haryana even as the mercury rose in Himachal Pradesh today.

The minimum temperature hovered below normal by five degrees each at Narnaul and Karnal, three degrees each at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala and two degrees each at Ambala and Dharamsala.

Cold surface winds blew across the plains in Punjab, where the minimum temperature further declined, with Amritsar recording 4.7 degrees Celsius.

The minimum fell to 5.8 degrees at Admapur, near Jalandhar, 7.1 degrees at Ludhiana, 7.8 degrees at Patiala and Bhatinda and nine degrees Celsius at Pathankot.

In Haryana, the mercury sharply fell at Narnaul, Karnal and Rohtak, respectively recording 4.5 degrees, 6.0 degrees and 8.8 degrees Celsius.

The temperature, however, hovered at 9.2 degrees at Ambala and 10.4 degrees at Hissar.

Cold climatic conditions prevailed in many areas of Himachal Pradesh despite rise in the mercury.

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 3.3 degrees Celsius.

Kullu valley reeled under cold conditions. Bhuntar in Kullu district recorded the minimum at 3.7 degrees while Sunderdnagar in Mandi district registered 4.5 degrees and Una 4.6 degrees Celsius.

Shimla and its surrounding areas also reeled under cold climatic conditions with the capital town recording 5.2 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal.

People groaned under cold wave in the Kashmir valley with Srinagar recording minus one degrees, two degrees below normal.

There was no change in weather in Chandigarh where the minimum temperature remained static at 11.4 degrees, one degree above normal.

The Weather Office has predicted mainly sunny days in the region during the next 48 hours.

UNI VKJ MS KP1830