Mercury climbs in N India, avalanche threat in hill states

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Mercury showed an upwardtrend in most parts of North India today, increasing thethreat of avalanches in the hill states where snowfall hasbeen forecast at many places.

In Jammu and Kashmir, night temperature showed anappreciable increase with Srinagar settling at 5 degreesCelsius, six notches above normal. Even during the day, thecity was warm with mercury climbing to 11 deg C, four degabove normal.

However, weathermen have predicted isolated heavyrain or snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, snowfall has beenreported in higher hills and residents of the region have beenwarned against venturing out during the day as highertemperature could result in avalanche. The maximumtemperature in Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul and Spitidistrict, was 7.9 deg C, almost 11 notches above normal.

MeT department has predicted rains and snowfall at afew places in Himachal Pradesh tomorrow and at many placesthereafter.

Overcast and icy wind brought down day temperature inparts of the state, with capital Shimla recording a high of14.4 deg C, while pre-dawn mercury settled for 8.8 deg C.

In the national capital, it was another warm day asthe maximum temperature recorded was 25 deg C, just .2 degabove yesterday''s reading. The minimum temperature was 12 degC, almost three places above last night''s reading.

Local MeT officials have predicted a veil of mist andpartly cloudy sky in the morning with day temperature risingup to 27 deg C, four notches higher than the normal. Thereading before dawn is expected to remain the same.

Even in the plains of Punjab and Haryana, coldrelented as readings were a few places above normal.

Adampur in Punjab was coldest in plains at 7.4 deg C,while Amritsar stayed at 9.3 deg C. Rain and Thundershowershave been predicted for the state.

In neighbouring Haryana, Hisar registered a low of 9.9deg C, while Delhi''s satellite city Gurgaon settled at 10 degC.

In Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, mercury ranged between25 and 29 deg C at most places.

High in Jaipur was 28 deg C and at dawn the cityregistered 12 deg C, while in Lucknow, it was 27 deg C in dayand 10 deg C in night.