Intense cold wave grips Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, Jan 10: The ongoing cold wave intensified in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh today with mercury plummeting to up to four notches below normal even as dense fog continued to play havoc with normal life in the region.

The minimum temperatures in most parts of Punjab and Haryana hovered between one to four degrees Celsius below normal, the MeT office said here. Besides, a thick blanket of fog in the morning continued to disrupt normal life in the region, officials said.

In view of dense fog, coupled with low visibility the train and road traffic in the region was adversely affected. In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Amritsar was the coldest with a low of 0.4 degrees Celsius, which was three notches below normal.

The minimum temperature at Hisar was 0.7 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal, while Narnaul reeled under a low of 2.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. Among other places, Karnal braved a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal, followed by 3.8 degrees Celsius at Bhiwani, 4.4 degrees Celsius at Chandigarh, one notch below normal, five degrees Celsius at Ludhiana, one notch below normal, 5.3 degrees Celsius at Patiala, also one notch below normal, and 5.4 degrees Celsius at Ambala, one notch below normal.

The most effected parts of Punjab and Haryana due to dense fog included Amritsar, Ambala, Karnal, Hisar, Bhiwani, Ludhiana and Patiala, the MeT office said. The MeT office predicted dry weather in the region with low temperatures in night and foggy conditions in the morning.

Watch out for ways people use to brave the cold!

In Allahabad

Police men warm themselves near a bonfire during a cold day in Allahabad on Thursday.

In Gurgaon

People warm themselves in front of a bonfire during a cold day in Gurgaon.

In Balurghat

People warm themselves around a bonfire during a cold winter day near Balurghat on Monday.

Allahabad

A flock of birds on a foggy and cold morning at the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad on Thursday.

In Jammu

Tourists enjoying on a snow-clad hill on the outskirts of Pathnitop after the area experienced heavy snowfall ending a spell of cold wave that continued for more than a month in Jammu on Monday.

In Srinagar

Swans cuddle to protect temselves from intense cold at the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar on Saturday as the 40-day period of harshest winter in Kashmir Valley, known as 'Chillai-Kalan' has begun.

In Srinagar

A man holding an ice-flake taken out from the partially frozen Dal Lake during a cold day in Srinagar on Sunday.

In Meerut

People wear warm clothes to bear the chilling cold wave in Meerut on Tuesday.

In Bhubaneswar

A woman with her baby wrapped in warm clothes to beat the cold in Bhubaneswar.

In New Delhi

People, wearing warm clothes, walk along a road during a cold day at Rajpath in New Delhi on Tuesday.

In New Delhi

A security person guards at Rajpath during a cold day in New Delhi.

In Allahabad

Devotees, wrapped in blankets, rest at a road side camp during a cold night at Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.

In Varanasi

People sitting together during a cold winter morning in Varanasi.

PTI