Temps dip in North West, biting cold claims one life in HP

Chandigarh, Nov 26 (UNI) Temperatures dipped across the North West region where the nights became colder as the minimum remained below normal while overcast weather conditions brought down the day temperature in the tribal districts of Himachal Pradesh leading to freezing of a number of waterbodies.

As icy winds swept across the mid and upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, a migrant labourer from Nepal died due to cold at the bus stand in Rampur town of Shimla district.

In Punjab, Adampur was the coldest place where the minimum dipped to 4.4 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal.

The night temperature in the holy city of Amritsar fell marginally and was recorded at 5.8 degrees celsius. Ludhina was cold at 7.1 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal while Patiala recorded 8.2 degrees Celsius.

The border town of Pathankot recorded a minimum of 8.0 degrees while Bathinda in the Malwa belt recorded 8.2 degrees celsius. The minimum at the Air Force base at Halwara in Ludhiana district was 8.6 degrees, a rise of one degree celsius.

However, the minimum temperature at Chandigarh rose to 11.4 degrees, which was two degrees above normal.

In Haryana, Narnaul recorded 6.5 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal, followed by Amabala at 8.5 degrees, Hisar 10.8 degrees, Rohtak and Karnal at 8.0 degrees and 9.0 degrees celsius respectively, two degrees below normal each.

In the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, due to decline in the temperature in the higher hills, 'Chander Tal' and 'Suraj Tal' natural lakes of the Lahaul Spiti district along with other waterbodies in the region had frozen to huge ice bodies.

The night temperature at Keylong in Lahaul Spiti district was minus 2.5 degrees celsius followed by Kalpa in the tribal district of Kinnaur at minus 1.6 degree Celsius and Manali 1.8 degrees celsius.

Bhuntur in Kullu district was cold at 2.1 degree celsius, Una 3.0 degrees, Sundernagar 2.9, Mandi 5.0 degrees and Dharamshala 8.1 degrees.

The capital town of Shimla, where weather remained clear, was cold at 9.1 degrees celsius.

The Met office has forcast partially cloudy weather in the region for next 24 hours.

UNI XC PS MMS1826