North India quivers under unabated cold wave

New Delhi: Northern India is still reeling under unabated cold waves with Kanpur's temperature hitting the zero-degree Celsius mark in the wee hours of Tuesday while Lucknow shivered at 0.7 degree Celsius, as severe cold conditions tightened its grip on Uttar Pradesh. Bahraich recorded 0.2 degree Celsius, Jhansi 1.8 degree Celsius, Barabanki 1.6 degree Celsius and Furstaganj in Amethi district 1.4 degree Celsius said the meteorological department.

Punjab and Haryana too continued to reel under severe cold wave, with Narnaul being the coldest place in both the states. It recorded a low of 2.3 degree Celsius, three degree below the normal level, an official of Meteorological Department said. While the Union territory Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, recorded a minimum of 4.8 degree Celsius, one notch below normal.

However, there was some respite for the residents of Kashmir with the minimum temperature improving marginally on Tuesday, even as the Met office has forecast snowfall in the valley from Wednesday. Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 3.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday night which was up over three degree from minus 6.5 degree Celsius the previous night. Met official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday night slightly up from the previous night's minus 7.8 degree Celsius.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum, where the temperature drops drastically.

Moreover, foggy weather conditions prevailed at several places including Patiala, Pathankot and Gurdaspur, leading to reduced visibility.

Rajasthan also continued to battle cold wave conditions on Tuesday even though there was a marginal increase in night temperature in the state. Sikar remained the coldest place in the state, recording a minimum temperature of 1 degree Celsius on Tuesday. Ganganagar recorded 2.1 degree while Jaipur and Bikaner shivered at 2.7 degree. Pilani, Ajmer, Churu, Dabok, Kota, Barmer and Jodhpur also recorded a minimum of 2.8, 3.1, 3.6, 5, 5.7, 6.2 and 7.7 degree respectively, according to the Met department.

However, even as the minimum temperature settled at 4.8 degree Celsius, over two notches above than that on Monday, Delhiites continued to reel under unabated winter chill on Tuesday with various parts of the national capital witnessing slight to moderate fog, the operations at Delhi airport, however, remained normal with no cancellation or delay of flights being reported till now.

However, there was not much of a respite for people travelling in trains running to and from Delhi. It was reported that at least 34 trains were running late due to fog including Chennai-Nizamuddin Duronto Express delayed by over eight hours, Bhubhaneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express by 6 hours and Howrah-New Delhi Duronto Express delayed by 3 hours.