Northern India remains under cold spell

New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI) Day temperature today remainedbelow the normal in most parts of northern India with coldwinds sweeping Himachal Pradesh and fog affecting life inPunjab and Haryana.

A thin veil of fog in the early hours gave way to amild sun and mercury remained below normal in the capitalwhere day temperature settled at 22.6 deg C, two degree lessthan normal for this time of the season.

The low was recorded at 10.3 deg C, a degree belownormal but nearly one degree more than yesterday''s minimum of9.6 deg C.

The cold wave sweeping most parts of Himachal Pradeshfurther intensified with day temperature falling by fewnotches due to clouded sky and chilly winds.

The maximum day temperatures were below normal in mostof the places, except Shimla and Solan.

Una and Mandi recorded a high of 22.4 deg C and 20.4deg C, two degree below normal, followed by Solan at 20.6 degC, Sundernagar 20.2 deg C, Nahan 19.3 deg C, Bhuntar 17.5 degC and Dharamshala 16.8 deg C.

Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recordedminimum temperature of minus 13 deg C, six degree below normalwhile the day temperature dropped to 4.3 deg C.

Bhuntar and Solan recorded a low of 3.4 deg C and 3.7deg C, while Shimla, Sundernagar and Palampur recorded maximumtemperature around 5 deg C each.

Avalanche threat remained in high-altitude tribalareas due to significant rise in day temperature and peoplehad been advised not to venture out during the day.

Cold conditions prevailed at many places in the plainsof Punjab and Haryana.

Amritsar was the coldest place in the two states witha low of 6.2 deg C, two below normal level, the MeT said here.

Ludhiana also experienced a cold night at 9 deg C,down one notch, while the low at Patiala settled at 8.7 deg C,one below normal.

In Haryana, Rohtak had a low of 7.3 deg C, down by twodegrees, while Karnal recorded a minimum of 7 deg C, threebelow normal.

Hisar, too, had a cold night at 8.6 deg C, down onenotch, while the low at Gurgaon settled at 8.5 deg C.

The minimum at Chandigarh dropped by two notches sinceyesterday to settle at 8.4 deg C, one below normal.

The MeT said that fog reduced visibility at someplaces early today including Ambala, Karnal, Rohtak, Amritsarand Ludhiana.