Vast swathes of north India faced wintry conditions today even as sun shone bright in some parts where mercury hovered above normal levels.
After witnessing another chilly morning, Delhi recorded maximum temperature of 22.6 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees more than yesterday's and minimum of 9.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below yesterday's 11.3 degrees Celsius.
At least 24 North-bound trains were delayed due to intense foggy conditions in morning hours. The visibility was recorded 500 meters at 5.30 AM and 8.30 AM and improved significantly to 3,000 meters at 11.30 AM.
Humidity in air wavered between 26 and 97 per cent.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures fell in east Rajasthan and changed little elsewhere. They were above normal in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and normal in rest of the region. The lowest minimum temperature in the plains was 3 degrees Celsius recorded at Amritsar.
In Jammu and Kashmir, intense cold wave gripped Kashmir division, including Ladakh region, as Kargil recorded the lowest temperature this winter with the mercury plunging 20 degrees below the freezing point.
"The minimum temperature recorded in Kargil town of Ladakh region was minus 20 degrees Celsius last night," a Meteorological Department official said.
He said this was the lowest recorded minimum temperature this winter in Kashmir division. Kargil had witnessed minus 17.2 degrees Celsius on January 9.
The nearby Leh town in Ladakh recorded a low of minus 14.1 degrees.
Overcast conditions prevailed in Srinagar even as the summer capital of the state recorded a minimum temperature of 0.7 degrees.
In Punjab and Haryana, cold conditions prevailed in most parts with Amritsar being the coldest place in the region, recording a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.
Ludhiana, the industrial hub of Punjab, and Patiala experienced cold weather at 8.8 degrees Celsius and 8.5 degrees Celsius.
In neighbouring Haryana, Karnal and Hisar braved cold conditions at 6.5 degrees Celsius and 7.2 degrees Celsius respectively, down by a degree below normal.
Union Territory of Chandigarh, where sun shone bright in the morning, recorded a minimum of 8 degrees Celsius.
The weather bureau in Jaipur said cold winds revived in Rajasthan with Churu freezing at 3.8 degrees.
The mercury further dipped by one to three degrees at some places in the state in the last 24 hours due to influx of cold winds.
Churu was the coldest in the state with its low settling 6 degrees below the normal last night. On hills, Mount Abu was the coldest place with the minimum temperature settling at 4.2 degrees.
