Severe cold conditions across the region along with thick blanket of fog in parts of Punjab and Haryana continued to disrupt normal life on Wednesday.
The Union Territory of Chandigarh recorded minimum temperature at 5.8 degree Celsius and maximum temperature at 17.2 degree Celsius, down by three notches from normal. The cold conditions also intensified in Punjab and Haryana as the temperature levels dropped upto six notches below normal at many places. Punjab’s ludhiana districts was the coldest in the region settling at minimum temperature of 4.8 degree Celsius, one degree below normal. Hissar in Haryana braved the cold conditions at the lowest minimum temperature of 5.3 degree Celsius, one degree below normal. Ambala settled at a low of 6.3 degree Celsius, Karnal settled at 7.5 degree Celsius and Narnaul recorded recorded minimum of 7 degree Celsius.
In Punjab, Amritsar faced cold conditions at minimum temperature of 5.6 degree Celsius and Patiala shivered at a low of 6.3 degree Celsius. Meanwhile, the maximum temperature in Bhiwani was recorded at 13.4 degree Celsius, Ambala saw a maximum of 16.6 degree Celsius, two notches down from normal and Hissar recorded 15 degree Celsius, six degrees below normal. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded maximum temperature at 15.2 degree Celsius, four notches below normal. ludhiana recorded maximum at 15.4 degree Celsius, four degrees down from normal and Patiala settled at a high of 17.3 degree Celsius, down by two notches from normal.
In neighboring Himachal Pradesh, its capital - Shimla recorded minimum temperature at 4 degree Celsius, one degree below normal and maximum temperature settled at 12.6 degrees. Among other places, Manali recorded minimum temperature at minus 1.6 degrees, Bhuntar recorded 1.6 degree Celsius, Kalpa minus 2.8 degrees, Una 4 degrees, Nahan 2.3 degree Celsius, Solan 1.5 degree Celsius, Sundernagar 2.1 degree Celsius and Dharamshala 4 degree Celsius.
A Met official said that minimum temperature levels witnessed decline in past 24 hours while maximum temperature levels were recorded upto six notches below normal in parts of region. “Fog was witnessed in many parts of neighboring states reduced visibility upto few metres adversely affecting the road, rail and air traffic,” said the Met official. The Met Department has forecast dense fog during night and morning hours in Chandigarh and neighboring states in next 48 hours.