Most parts of north India got no respite from the icy winds and biting cold on Tuesday as the mercury continued its downward spiral and the maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at its second lowest in 22 years.
According to Met officials, strong and cold northwesterly winds from Western Himalayan region along with a thick layer of low clouds is preventing sunlight from reaching the surface leading to a drop in temperatures.
The national capital continued to shiver on Tuesday as the maximum temperature settled 10 notches below the season's average at 12.2 degrees Celsius.
In 1997, the maximum temperature was recorded at 11.3 degrees Celsius.
The conditions are likely to persist on Wednesday and the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 14 and nine degrees Celsius.
Night temperatures in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh continued to drop after the recent snowfall even as traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was disrupted for several hours due to multiple landslides on Tuesday.
However, the early morning sun provided some sort of relief to the people form the frigid conditions in the valley.
Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims during the annual Amarnath yatra, was the coldest recorded place in the region with a low of minus 12.2 degrees Celsius, an official of the meteorological department said.
He said the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was freezing at a low of minus 11.0 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature fell by over two notches in Srinagar to settle at minus 3.7 degrees Celsius.
Leh in Ladakh was the coldest recorded place in the region with a night temperature of minus 12.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
Though the minimum temperature marked a slight improvement in Jammu to settle at 7.2 degrees Celsius, the icy winds coupled with heavy cloud cover forced people to stay indoors in the morning to escape the chilly conditions.
Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu region was the coldest recorded place with a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius, while the Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district, recorded a low of 5.1 degrees Celsius against the previous night's 6.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
The 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, witnessed landslides at Gangroo-Ramsu and Moumpassi in Ramban district overnight, forcing authorities to stop traffic at Qazigund in south Kashmir, a traffic department official said.
However, the traffic, which included security convoys, was allowed to move after agencies managed to clear the road of debris this afternoon, the official said.
The highway was reopened for traffic on Monday after remaining closed for four days due to heavy snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel and adjoining areas and multiple landslides in Ramban sector between Thursday and Saturday.
In Himachal Pradesh, the weather remained dry and cold as Manali, Kufri, Keylong and Kalpa shivered at sub zero temperatures.
The coldest place in the state was Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong which settled at minus 16.4 degrees Celsius, Shimla Met Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.
The minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 5 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, Kufri minus 1 degree Celsius and Bhuntar minus 0.8 degree Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Chamba was 0.8 degree Celsius, Solan 1 degree Celsius, Shimla and Palampur was 2.5 degrees Celsius each, Dharamshala 2.6 degrees Celsius, Nahan 6.1 degrees Celsius and Una 8.5 degrees Celsius.
The meteorological department has forecast heavy rain and snowfall in the state between December 19 and 21.
In Uttarakhand, the sky remained clear on Tuesday but the biting cold persisted.
The higher reaches of the hill state had received heavy snowfall on December 12-13 which led to the closure of several highways and roads.
Three persons had died in separate snowfall-related incidents in the state as the snowfall also disrupted power supply to dozens of villages.
However, snow clearing operations picked up pace due to the clear weather, officials said.
The day temperatures in Punjab and Haryana continued to hover a few notches below the normal limits on Tuesday, Met officials said.
Severe cold persisted during the day as maximum temperatures hovered 5-8 notches below normal, he said.
Hisar in Haryana shivered as the maximum temperature settled at 12.8 degrees Celsius, 10 notches below normal, a Meteorological Department report said.
Karnal registered a high of 13.8 degrees Celsius while Ambala recorded a maximum of 13.4 degrees Celsius-- both eight notches below normal.
In Punjab, Amritsar shivered at a high of 13.5 degrees Celsius, down seven notches while Ludhiana recorded a maximum of 15.7 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a high of 14 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal, the official said.
Night temperatures at most places in the two states including Chandigarh, however, settled close to normal limits in the range of 8-10 degrees Celsisus.
Cold wave conditions intensified in Rajasthan with the state's only hill station Mount Abu recording a minimum temperature of 1.2 degree Celsius on Monday night, the meteorological department said.
In the plains, Bhilwara was the coldest place as it recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degree Celsius.
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