Cold wave persists across northern India

Cold wave continued to sweep across north India as the minimum temperature plunged in several places and fog affected the train movement in some parts of the region.

Icy winds swept through Delhi even as the sun shone bright during the day, offering brief relief to the people.

Fog was observed early in the morning as visibility dropped to 400 metres. As the day progressed, it improved to 1,000-1,500 metres.

According to MeT officials, day temperature settled three notches below the season’s average at 18.3 degrees Celsius while the minimum was recorded a notch above normal at 10 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 57 and 95 per cent.

Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region continued to reel under intense cold with mercury staying below the freezing point during the night on Tuesday.

The Met office said the famous skiing resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest in the Valley, with a low temperature of -8.4 degrees Celsius while tourist resort of Pahalgam, which also serves as a base camp during the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded minimum temperature of -4.4 degrees.

Leh town in the frontier region of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place in the state with night temperature falling by five degrees to settle at -12.9 degrees Celsius.

Leh recorded a low of -7.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night, he said.

In the nearby Kargil town, the minimum temperature went up from -14.4 degrees Celsius to -8 degrees Celsius.

The official said the weather would remain dry and cold during the nights as the Valley approaches the end of the “Chillai-Kalan”—the 40-day harshest winter period which began on December 21.