Biting cold conditions continued to grip Punjab, Haryana and union territory of Chandigarh with temperature levels dropping upto five degrees below normal at several places in the region.
Haryana’s Narnaul district was the coldest in the region and braved the severe cold conditions at minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, five degrees down the normal level.
Punjab’s holy city Amritsar recorded minus 0.8 degree Celsius, three notches below normal. The union territory of Chandigarh recorded minimum temperature at 3.7 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
According to the Met Department, both maximum and minimum temperature levels were recorded below normal in several parts of the region leaving the populace shivering throughout the day.
Hisar in Haryana reeled under severe cold conditions witnessing low temperature 2.4 degree Celsius, down by four notches from normal while Karnal settled at minimum of 2.6 degree Celsius. Ambala recorded minimum temperature one degree below normal settling at 5 degree Celsius.
In Punjab, Patiala settled at minimum temperature of 1.7 degree Celsius, down by four degrees from normal while ludhiana saw a low of 3.2 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal.
The maximum temperature recorded was 17.3 degree Celsius in Chandigarh, which was below four notches from normal level.
Among other places, Ambala settled at maximum temperature of 17.6 degree Celsius, Narnaul recorded 16.5 degrees, Karnal 16.6 degree Celsius, Hisar 17.7 degree Celsius, Amritsar saw maximum of 17.9 degree Celsius, ludhiana recorded 18.1 degree Celsius and Patiala settled at 17.5 degree Celsius.
According to the Met Department forecast, cold wave conditions are likely at a few places during next two days in Haryana and Punjab. Ground frost is also predicted during next two nights in the neighboring states.
The Met Department has also predicted rain at isolated places in the two states in next 48 hours.