Cold wave continues in north India

New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI) Cold conditions continued togrip several parts of the northern region, with the mercuryhovering around 20 degrees Celsius below freezing point inJammu and Kashmir''s Kargil while low velocity winds broughtchill back in the national capital today.

Himachal Pradesh reeled under the intense cold wave asminimum temperatures remained below normal. The state capitalShimla recorded a low of 2 degree Celsius while Bhuntar, Solanand Sundernagar shivered at 0.2, 0.5 and 0.6 degree Celsiusrespectively.

Keylong, headquarters of tribal Lahaul and Spitidistrict, saw mercury plunging to minus 17 deg C, while Kalpain Kinnaur district recorded a low of minus 4.5 deg C.

Kargil in Ladakh region was the coldest place in Jammuand Kashmir with a low of minus 20.4 deg C, while Leh townrecorded minus 19.1 deg C.

Tourist resorts of Pahalgam and Gulmarg in the KashmirValley registered a minimum of minus 10.5 and minus 10.2 deg Crespectively.

The summer capital Srinagar witnessed a slightly warmernight at minus 4.2 deg C, an increase of 0.2 degree thanyesterday. Qazigund froze at minus 6.6 deg C while the nighttemperature in Kokernag was minus 4.4 deg C.

Chill was back in Delhi as mercury dipped below 20degree Celsius as low-velocity winds swept the city.

The maximum nosedived to 18.6, three degrees belownormal, from yesterday''s 22.6 degrees while the minimum wasrecorded at 7.0 degree Celsius, a degree below normal andmarginally less than yesterday''s 7.2 degrees.

Punjab continued to remain under the grip of coldconditions even as many parts of Haryana registered abovenormal minimums for the second day.

Amritsar was the coldest place in the two statesrecording a minimum of 4 degree Celsius. Ludhiana alsoexperienced a cold night at 5.4 deg C, while temperature inPatiala was at 6 deg C.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 7.8 deg C, whileRohtak settled at 7 deg C, one notch above normal. Chandigarhrecorded a minimum of 7.2 deg C.

Churu recorded the lowest temperature of 3.5 degreeCelsius overnight in Rajasthan. Pilani registered a minimum of4.5 deg C, followed by SriGanganagar (5.6), Sikar (6) andChittorgarh (8).