Cold conditions prevail in Himachal, Punjab-Haryana

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) There was no let up in coldconditions with chilly winds today sweeping Himachal Pradeshand mercury falling by few notches across the plains of Punjaband Haryana.

Slight early morning chill and a thin veil of mistgave way to a bright sun in Delhi where the minimumtemperature was recorded at 9.1 deg C, one degree belownormal, as against yesterday''s 9.5 deg C.

The maximum was recorded at 24.8 deg C as againstyesterday''s 23.5 deg C.

Intense cold wave conditions persisted in mid andhigher hills of Himachal Pradesh even as minimum temperaturerose marginally.

Cloudy conditions prevailed in the hilly region withchilly winds sweeping the state, depriving people of the sun''swarmth.

Shimla recorded a minimum temperature of 6.2 deg Cwhile Solan, Sundernagar, Bhuntar and Mandi recorded 3.5 degC, 4.1 deg C, 4 deg C and 5.4 deg C, respectively.

Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti andKinnaur districts recorded minimum temperatures of minus 10.1deg C and minus 2 deg C, while the maximum rose to 4.7 deg Cand 7 deg C in the twin tribal district headquarters.

The maximum day temperature dropped marginally in midand lower hills to stay at 16.2 deg C in Shimla, 19.8 deg C inSundernagar, 20.1 deg C in Bhuntar, 22.4 deg C in Una, 19.8deg C in Dharamshala, 21 deg C in Nahan, 21.5 deg C in Solanand 20.2 deg C in Mandi.

Cold conditions remained unabated in most parts ofPunjab and Haryana with the minimum temperature remaining uptotwo degrees Cel below normal at few places in the region.

The minimum temperatures hovered between two degreesCelsius below normal to two degrees above normal in most partsof Punjab and Haryana, the MeT office said here today.

A blanket of mist engulfed several areas of theregion, including Ambala, Karnal, Amritsar and Ludhianabesides, a dense fog reduced visibility considerably atRohtak.

Narnaul was the coldest in the plains of Punjab andHaryana with a low of 5.7 deg C, which was one notch belownormal. While Amritsar settled at a low of 6.2 deg C, theminimum at Karnal was recorded at 7.2 deg C, two notches belownormal.

Among other places, Bhiwani had a low of 8.2 deg Cfollowed by Rohtak at 8.4 deg C, Hisar at 8.6 deg C andPatiala at 8.8 deg C.

Chandigarh had a low of nine deg C, one notch abovenormal, followed by Ludhiana at 9.8 deg C, two notches abovenormal and Ambala at 10 deg C.