A thick blanket of fog affected normal life at many places in Punjab and Haryana on Sunday even as the minimum temperature hovered close to the normal levels at most places in the two states.
Road and railway traffic was affected due to low visibility, which reduced to less than 100 metres at some places. Traffic on highways was also plying slow in various parts of Punjab and Haryana.
The Amritsar to Ambala and Ambala to Delhi stretch of the National Highway No. 1 (NH-1) experienced moderate to dense fog at several places.
The chilly weather continued over the region on Sunday with minimum temperatures ranging from 3 to 9 degrees Celsius, said a Met official.
“Fog reduced visibility at many places in Punjab and Haryana including their common capital Chandigarh on Sunday morning,” the official said.
Among other places, visibility levels were low in the morning due to fog at Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda and Adampur.
Bathinda in Punjab was the coldest place recording a minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees Celsius while Halwara and and Faridkot reeled at a low of 3.7 degree Celsius and 4 degree Celsius, respectively.
minimum settled at 5.7 degrees while Adampur recorded a low of 5.3 degree Celsius.
Among other places in Punjab, Ludhiana's minimum settled at 6.8 degree Celsius, Pathankot and Patiala recorded respective minimums of 5.2 degrees and 8.5 degrees.
Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana recorded a low of 8.2 degree Celsius.
In neighboring Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 8.3 degrees, Karnal's minimum settled at 9 degree Celsius while Bhiwani and Rohtak recorded respective lows of 9.7 degrees and 9.8 degrees
Hisar, too, registered above normal minimum at 8.5 degree Celsius.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures increased in most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, giving much-needed relief to residents.
Himachal had been witnessing frequent spells of snowfall with extremely bone-chilling conditions this winter.
Another spell of snowfall is expected with chances of widespread rain in the state from February 5-8 in the hilly state.
Shimla, capital city of Himachal had a sunny start to the day on Sunday and witnessed the temperature rising to 3.3 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Manali rose to minus 3 degrees Celsius from minus 3.8 degrees Celsius on the previous day. Dalhousie and Kufri had a low of 3 degree Celsius and 1 degree Celsius, respectively. Kinnaur's Kalpa recorded a minimum of minus 7.4 degrees Celsius.