Temperatures plummet further in Punjab, Haryana

Cold wave intensified in Punjab and Haryana on Thursday as the minimum and maximum temperatures further plummeted in the two states.

In Narnaul, Haryana the minimum temperature dropped to 2.5 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest area in the state.

Hisar was also chilling with a minimum of 3.3 degrees Celsius, a Meteorological Department weather report said.

While the minimum temperature recorded in other areas was- Rohtak (3.4) Karnal (6), Bhiwani (4.8), Sirsa (4.3) and Ambala (5.3).

Bathinda in Punjab was the coldest in the state, recording a low of 4 degrees Celsius. Faridkot (4.5), Ludhiana (6.6), Patiala (6.4), Halwara (5.8), Adampur (6.8), Pathankot (6.4) and Amritsar (6.5) too experienced a cold night.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 6.5 degrees Celsius.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature in Chandigarh dropped to 9 degrees Celsius, which was twelve notches below normal.

"Yesterday's maximum here broke the 19-year-old record when the temperature during the day in December settled at 9.2 degrees Celsius,” Chandigarh's MeT Department Director Surinder Paul told PTI.

Even Manali (10.6) and Shimla (12.3) on Wednesday recorded slightly higher day temperature than Chandigarh and many other places in the plains including Ambala (9.5), Karnal (9) and Amritsar (9.8).

Paul informed that severe cold wave and foggy weather conditions will continue to prevail in the two states including Chandigarh for the next three days.

"Dense fog is likely to engulf the plains of the region around December 28. However, visibility should improve around December 31, but cold wave conditions will continue to prevail,” he added.