Cold wave prevails in North; over 60 trains cancelled

Cold wave coupled with dense fog affected normal life in most parts of North India today as the mercury dipped in many areas including Delhi and rail services were hit in the region with cancellation of over 60 trains.
After over a fortnight, Delhiites too feel nip in the air as dense fog cover greeted them on a wintry morning.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 9.6 degrees Celsius, while maximum was 15.6 degrees Celsius, a MeT official said. Both minimum and maximum dropped by about four degrees.
As many as 10 Delhi-bound trains, including Magadh Express, Bikramshila Express and Poorva Express, were reportedly running late while 64 trains were cancelled.

Flight operations, however, were normal at IGI Airport here.
Mercury dipped in most parts of Kashmir Valley while the minimum temperature rose by six degrees in Leh town in the frontier Ladakh region to settle at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius.

Kargil was the coldest place in the Valley though night temperature also rose there slightly to minus 12.0 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said.
The minimum temperatures also increased in Pahalgam and Qazigund, while other places experienced a drop in the mercury.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius against minus 2.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, the official said.

The famous tourist resort of Pahalgam registered a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Gulmarg and Kokernag town in south Kashmir went down by around a degree to settle at a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius and minus 1.3 degrees Celsius respectively.
There was a slight drop in mercury in Kupwara town of north Kashmir as it registered a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.
Cold weather persisted in Punjab and Haryana where rains
may occur tomorrow. Narnaul was the coldest place in the region at 3.5 degrees Celsius.
"An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over central Pakistan and its neighbourhood. A few places in Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh, are likely to get rain until tomorrow," the MeT office said.

Hisar in Haryana reeled under biting cold at 4.6 and Karnal at 4.2 degrees Celsius. Ludhiana in Punjab witnessed a cold night at 5.7, while Patiala had a low of 6.1, Adampur 5.8, Chandigarh and Amritsar 7 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, in a respite for residents in Rajasthan, a "slight" increase was recorded in the minimum temperature across the state though Alwar continued to be in the grip of chill at 1.4 degree Celsius.
The weatherman said the minimum temperature rose by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius.
Mount Abu had a low of 2 degrees Celsius, Banasthali 2.7, Chhittorgarh 3.2, Dabok 4, Sriganganagar 4.3, Pilani 4.5, Jaipur 5, Bundi 5.5, Swai Madhopur 5.8, Kota 6.8 and Ajmer 8.5 degree Celsius.

The MeT office has predicted drizzle at isolated places in north-western region of the state tomorrow.