Haryana, Punjab Shivering, Faridkot records 0.7 deg C

Haryana and Punjab remained under the grip of severe cold wave with temperatures hovering well below normal limits on Monday.

Fog also continued to engulf most places in Haryana and Punjab, reducing visibility levels in the morning.

Faridkot in Punjab was the coldest place in the state, recording a minimum temperature of 0.7 degrees Celsius, six notches below normal limits.

Among other places in Punjab, freezing cold swept Amritsar, which recorded a low of 1.2 deg C, Ludhiana, Patiala and Gurdaspur recorded near similar below normal minimums at 4.6, 4.5 and 4.2 degrees Celsius.

Halwara braved the chill at a low of 1.5 deg C. Bathinda experienced a cold night at 3.8 deg C while Pathankot's minimum settled at 3.4 deg C, a Meteorological Department official said here.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, was also under the grip of biting chill. The minimum here settled at 3.5 deg C.

In Haryana, Rohtak was the coldest place recording a low of 1.2 deg C.

Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Narnaul, Bhiwani and Sirsa were also swept by piercing chill recording respective lows of 2.7 deg C, 3.6 deg C, 2.8 deg C, 1.5 deg C, 2.8 deg C and 2.7 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperatures in the two states including Chandigarh have for the last over a week hovered several notches below normal and settling in the range of 8-12 degrees Celsius.