Cold persists in Himachal, rains in Punjab-Haryana

New Delhi, Feb 14 (PTI) Cold conditions today persistedin Himachal Pradesh as tribal areas and other higher reachesreceived fresh snowfall, while rains lashed some places in theplains of Punjab and Haryana.

Cloudy sky greeted Delhiites on Valentine''s Day morningwith the minimum temperature settling at 14.7 deg C, a degabove yesterday''s reading and five notches more than normal.

The maximum was recorded at 22.2 deg C, which is twodegrees above normal for this time of the year.

Tourist resort Manali received 55 cm of snow till thisafternoon. Solang Nallah and Rohtang Pass received 100 cm and150 cm of snow, respectively.

Keylong and Kalpa in tribal districts of Lahaul andSpiti, and Kinnaur experienced intermittent snowfall for thefourth day.

The minimum temperature dipped to 4.2 deg C in Shimla,while Bhuntar and Dharamsala reeled under severe cold wavewith mercury staying at 3.7 deg C and 2.5 deg C.

Shimla recorded a low of 10.9 deg C while Dharamsala,Sundernagar, Nahan and Mandi recorded day temperatures of 19.8deg C, 15.6 deg C, 19.5 deg C and 18.9 deg C.

The minimum temperature continued to hover a few degreesabove normal range in Haryana and Punjab, even as some placeslike Mohali and Patiala received rains.

Chandigarh, which was lashed by rains, saw the low settleat 15.2 deg C, seven above normal.

In Haryana, Ambala received light showers and the lowsettled at 14.5 deg C, up by six degrees. Hisar registered aminimum of 14.3 deg C. Gurgaon registered a low of 14 deg C,up by seven notches, while the low at Karnal was also 14 degC, up by five degrees.

In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a low of 10.2 deg C, fourabove normal, while the low at Patiala was 13.8 deg C, up sixnotches.