The cold wave on Monday tightened its grip in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh with the mercury dipping further and dense fog enveloping the region.

Amritsar was the coldest in the plains with the mercury touching 0.3 degree Celsius, four below normal, the Meteorological Department office in Chandigarh said. Ludhiana shivered at 2.5 degrees, Ambala recorded 3.2, Karnal 3.8, Patiala 4.6 and Hisar 5.1 degrees.

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Chandigarh witnessed yet another cold and foggy morning with the mercury touching a low of four degree Celsius, three degrees below normal.

The entire region, including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ambala, Karnal, Sonipat and Panipat remained engulfed in a thick blanket of fog in the morning, which hit vehicular and train traffic. Several trains, including the Barauni Express, Malwa Express and Shatabdi Express, passing through these states were running hours behind schedule.

MET office predicted no respite from the cold and foggy conditions in the next two days.