After heavy rainfall across the region in past two days, biting cold conditions prevailed in parts of Punjab and Haryana on Monday.
With skies remaining overcast, mercury continued to plunge in various parts of the region with temperature levels settling few notches below the normal on Monday.
Punjab’s holy city – Amritsar was the coldest in the region with minimum temperature settling at 3.6 degree Celsius.
After receiving heavy rainfall during weekend, Chandigarh recorded minimum temperature at 9.3 degrees on Monday. The city had received 12.8 mm rains till Monday morning and has so far recorded more than 90 mm rainfall, the highest December rains since 1997, as per the Met Department. All time record for December rainfall is 124.3 mm in 1997.
Meanwhile, Ambala recorded 13.8 mm rains, Bhiwani 15.4 mm, Hissar 1 mm, Karnal 1.6 mm, ludhiana 5.6 mm, Patiala 11.2 mm rainfall till Monday morning.
In Punjab, ludhiana settled at a low of 7.9 degree Celsius while Patiala saw minimum of 10.7 degrees.
In neighbouring Haryana, Ambala settled at minimum temperature of 9.9 degrees, Hissar witnessed a low of 10.3 degree Celsius, Karnal recorded 10.2 degrees, Bhiwani 10.6 degree Celsius and Narnaul saw minimum temperature at 7.5 degree Celsius. According to the local Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature settled below normal levels while the minimum temperature was close to normal in various parts of Punjab and Haryana.
A Met official said that the maximum temperatures have plunged upto four notches below normal in some parts of the region.
Chandigarh recorded maximum temperature at 18.5 degree Celsius, three notches below normal. The maximum temperature recorded was 18.5 degree Celsius in Chandigarh, 18.4 degrees in Ambala, 18.6 degrees in Bhiwani, 19.6 degree Celsius in Hissar, 17 degrees in Narnaul, 18.4 degree Celsius in Amritsar, 19.4 degrees in ludhiana and 19.4 degree Celsius in Patiala.
The local Met Department has forecast partly cloudy conditions in next 12 hours and sunny conditions thereafter in Haryana and Punjab. Mist/Fog would occur at some places in the region.