Intense cold waves swept through the northern belt with the mercury going several degrees below freezing point in Kashmir, and a thick blanket of fog enveloping Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh today.
An elderly man died of cold conditions in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh.
In the national capital, dense fog led to cancellation of six flights and 21 trains. The minimum temperature was recorded at 8.4 degrees Celsius, while the maximum settled at 17.7 degrees, lowest of the season recorded so far.
The visibility in the city was recorded at 800 meters at 5.30 AM, which reduced to 300 meters at 8.30 AM. It improved to 800 meters at 11.30 am and further to 1,000 meters at 2.30 pm, a MeT official said.
Kashmir reeled under extreme cold conditions as the mercury stayed several degrees below the freezing point.
In Srinagar, the mercury showed a marginal upward movement to settle at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, the official said.
Leh in Ladakh region was the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir as the minimum temperature fell slightly from yesterday's minus 14.5 degrees Celsius to minus 14.7 degrees, the weatherman said, adding the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in Pahalgam, the famous health resort which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, he said.
Biting cold wave conditions also persisted in most parts of Himachal Pradesh as minimum temperatures dropped further and icy winds swept the region. High altitude tribal areas and other higher hills witnessed another spell of mild snowfall.
Rohtang, Pangi, Drass, Koksar and Bharmaur received 8 cm, 6 cm, 5 cm, 4 cm and 3 cm of fresh snow respectively, while isolated rains took place at some places in mid hills.
Kalpa and Manali in the hill state shivered under sub-zero temperatures with minimum temperatures at minus 4.8 degrees and minus 3.2 degrees, respectively, while the mercury hovered around freezing point at several places in mid and higher hills.
According to MeT, Bhuntar recorded a low of 0.2 degree followed by Sundernagar 1.1 degree, Solan 1.7 degree, Shimla 2.8 degrees, Palampur 3 degrees, Una 4 degrees, Nahan 5.6 degrees and Dharamsala 5.8 degrees Celsius.
Moradabad was the coldest recorded city in the state of Uttar Pradesh as dry weather continued its spell in the state that witnessed moderate to dense fog at several places.
According to the meteorological department, day temperatures fell in Varanasi, Allahabad, Lucknow, Bareilly, Agra and Meerut, while mercury took a plunge during the night in Gorakhpur in eastern UP.
The lowest minimum temperature of 5.7 degrees Celsius was recorded at Moradabad, the office said.
A thick blanket of fog enveloped several areas of Punjab and Haryana, thus adversely affecting, air, rail and road traffic even as most areas in the two states shivered under intense cold. The visibility was reduced to up to 200 meters in the states, the MeT office said.
Bathinda at a low of 2.7 degrees Celsius was the coldest in the two states.
While Faridkot braved a low of 3 degrees Celsius, Narnaul settled at 3.5 degrees Celsius. Amritsar shivered at 4.2 degrees Celsius followed by Sirsa at 4.8 degrees, Pathankot at 5.7 degrees, Adampur 5.8 degrees Celsius, Bhiwani at 6.5 degrees and Hisar 7.3 degrees Celsius.
Karnal registered a low of 8 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 8.4 degrees, Patiala 8.6 degrees, Chandigarh 8.7 degrees and Ambala recorded 8.9 degrees Celsius, the MeT added.
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