Cold wave sweeps across Punjab, Haryana

The cold conditions tightened their grip in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday with the minimum temperature dropping to five degrees Celsius below normal, even as most parts of the region were engulfed with fog and mist disrupting normal life.

The minimum temperatures hovered between one and five degrees Celsius below normal in most parts of Punjab and Haryana, with mist and fog reducing visibility, the meteorological office said.

Narnaul in Haryana was the coldest place in the region with a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal. Amritsar in Punjab continued to reel under intense cold conditions at 2.4 degrees Celsius, which is two notches below normal. However in Punjab, Ludhiana was coldest with temperatures falling to 2.2 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal.

While Hisar settled at a low of 2.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, the minimum temperature at Patiala was 2.7 degrees Celsius.

Among other places, Ambala shivered at 3.3 degrees Celsius, followed by 3.4 degrees Celsius at Karnal, both four notches below normal. Rohtak braved a low of four degrees Celsius, followed by 4.8 degrees Celsius at Bhiwani and 5.4 degrees Celsius at Chandigarh.

The met department forecasts a further dip in minimum temperatures in the region in the next two days.