Another chilly day for Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 6 (ANI): Delhiites on Thursday woke up to another cold morning as the mercury remained below the normal level.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 5.3 degree Celsius, a degree more than yesterday's low of 4.2 degrees but still two degrees below normal for this time of the year.

Icy winds blowing across the city for the last several days have also added to the woes of Delhiites.

The maximum was 13 degree Celsius yesterday, eight degrees below normal for this time of the season.

The Delhi government has also ordered closure of all schools in the capital till Sunday.

Meanwhile, the biting cold has claimed 12 lives, all in Uttar Pradesh, during the past 24 hours.

State government has closed all schools till Sunday due cold wave and foggy weather. Train, road and air services continued to be affected in the state due to fog.

The cold wave intensified further in Kashmir Valley, including Ladakh region, as the minimum temperature across the state dipped several degrees further, with Leh town freezing at minus 23 degree Celsius.

In Srinagar, the minimum temperature dipped by 1.3 degree Celsius to settle at minus 5.4 degree Celsius.

Several places in Punjab and Haryana were under a thick fog cover that hit movement of flights to and from Chandigarh and affected vehicular traffic and trains in large parts of the two states.

Chandigarh recorded its coldest day ever yesterday, making it colder than Srinagar and Shimla. Icy wind sent the maximum temperature in Chandigarh plummeting to 7.4 degree Celsius, down by a record 14 degrees below normal.

The officials of meteorological department said that the decrease in difference between maximum and minimum temperature has become the main reason behind chilly weather conditions.

"The main reason behind the chilling weather conditions this year is the difference between maximum and minimum temperature is decreasing," said K. K. Gill, Assistant Agrometeorologist, Ludhiana.

Severe cold waves continued to sweep Rajasthan while thick fog engulfed the region following which several flights were delayed.

Mount Abu recorded a night temperature of minus four degree Celsius, while Bikaner recorded the lowest in plain at 1.2 degree Celsius. (ANI)