Cold back to Punjab and Haryana after a few days of respite

Chandigarh, Jan 16 (PTI) After the weather in Punjab andHaryana relented for a few days, the minimum temperature inmost parts of the region today plummeted by up to threedegrees Celsius, throwing normal life out of gear.

The minimum temperature, which had risen to around fivedegrees Celsius in the past few days, hovered between one tothree degrees Celsius below normal, the Met office said here.

Amritsar was the coldest in the plains of Punjab andHaryana, with a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius, which was threenotches below normal.

Ludhiana and Bhiwani braved an identical low of 3.6degrees Celsius, two notches each below normal.

While Hisar settled at a low of 4.4 degrees Celsius, twonotches below normal, the minimum temperature at Chandigarhwas 4.7 degrees Celsius, one notch below normal.

Among other places, Rohtak shivered at 5.2 degreesCelsius, Narnaul settled at 5.6 degrees Celsius, Patiala 6.3degrees Celsius, Ambala 7.3 degrees Celsius and Karnal eightdegrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, foggy conditions returned to the region asdense fog threw normal life out of gear at several places,including Rohtak, Karnal, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar.

The Met department forecasts dry weather in the regionduring the next two days.