Cold wave intensified in most parts of Punjab and Haryana where normal life was disrupted due to dense fog on Thursday.
Thick blanket of fog disrupted air, rail and road traffic in both the states and power supply was also affected in some areas of the region.
According to the Met Department, dense fog in the morning at several places including Ambala, Hisar, Narnaul, ludhiana, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Amritsar reduced visibility and affected normal life.
While minimum temperature levels were recorded close to normal, the maximum temperature levels plunged upto ten degrees below normal in some parts, intensifying the cold wave conditions throughout the day.
Narnaul in Haryana was the coldest place in the region recording minimum temperature at 2 degrees Celsius.
Punjab’s holy city-Amritsar settled at a low of 5.6 degrees Celsius. Among other places, Chandigarh settled at minimum temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius, Ambala recorded 8 degrees Celsius, Hisar 6.7 degrees, ludhiana 6.9 degrees Celsius and Patiala 7.4 degree Celsius.
Chandigarh witnessed season’s coldest day with maximum temperature plunging nine degrees below normal settling at 11 degrees Celsius. In neighboring Haryana, Ambala recorded maximum temperature at 10.3 degree Celsius, down by ten notches from normal while Karnal recorded 10.6 degree Celsius, nine notches down the normal.
Hisar settled at 17.4 degree Celsius, four notches down the normal. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded 11.5 degree Celsius, eight notches below normal while ludhiana witnessed maximum at 11.1 degree Celsius, down by seven degrees below normal.
The Chandigarh Met Department has forecast cold day conditions to prevail at a few places during next 36 in Haryana and Punjab. Moderate to dense fog is likely to occur at many places during next 36 hours in both the states.