The temperature levels across the region have plunged sharply leaving the residents shivering throughout the day on Tuesday. The foggy conditions threw life out of gear in Punjab, Haryana and their joint capital Chandigarh. The dense fog continued to affect air, rail and road traffic across the region.
The Union Territory of Chandigarh on Tuesday settled at minimum temperature of 7.6 degree Celsius. Haryana’s Narnaul recorded minimum temperature at 5.5 degree Celsius while Punjab’s holy city-Amritsar saw a low of 6.8 degree Celsius. Both ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab witnessed minimum temperature at 8.6 degree Celsius. Among other places, Ambala in Haryana witnessed minimum temperature at 7.6 degree Celsius, Bhiwani 7.4 degrees, Hissar 8.7 degrees and Karnal 8.2 degree Celsius.
According to the local Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature was recorded upto nine notches below normal in some parts of the region on Tuesday. The maximum temperature recorded 10.5 degree Celsius in Chandigarh, down by nine degrees from normal while Ambala saw a high of 11.8 degree Celsius, seven notches below normal.
The maximum temperature recorded was 15.3 degrees in Amritsar, 13.1 degree Celsius in ludhiana, 12.6 degrees in Patiala, 15.4 degrees in Bhiwani, 17 degrees in Narnaul and 14.3 degrees in Hissar. The Met Department has forecast dense fog (visibility less than 200 meters) at few places in Haryana and Punjab in next 24 hours. Cold day conditions would occur at a few places in both the states, predicted the Met Department.
A Met official said, “The maximum temperature levels witnessed sharp decline in many parts of the region in last 24 hours. The temperature levels are likely to decline further in next 48 hours and severe cold conditions would prevail in some parts of the region.” In neighboring hilly State of Himachal Pradesh, capital Shimla recorded minimum temperature at 6.1 degrees Celsius and maximum at 15.4 degree Celsius, five notches below normal.
Among other places, Manali settled at a low temperature of minus 0.6 degree Celsius, Kalpa minus 4 degree Celsius, Una recorded 2.4 degree Celsius, Sunder Nagar 2.8 degree Celsius, Nahan 4 degree Celsius, Bhuntar 2.7 degree Celsius, Solan 3 degree Celsius and Kangra 3.8 degree Celsius.