Some respite from cold in north India as mercury rises slightly

New Delhi: There was some respite on Thursday from a long spell of bone-chilling cold conditions in northern plains, with mercury rising marginally across the region but some places, even though Shimla received snowfall.

The national capital recorded an above normal maximum temperature for a second consecutive day on Thursday after remaining in the grip of a prolonged cold spell, the longest since 1992.

The city recorded a high of 23 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, and a low of 4.6 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal.

On Wednesday, Delhi recorded a maximum of 20.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal. It was the first time in 23 days that the maximum temperature was above normal in the national capital.

The minimum temperature is also expected to rise to 7 degrees Celsius in the next two days, weather experts said.

Cold wave persisted in Himachal Pradesh with a number of places of tourist attraction in the state shivering at sub-zero temperatures. Snowfall occurred in Shimla Thursday evening.

The weatherman has predicted snow and rainfall in many places of middle, high hills of the state and thundershowers in the plains till the next seven days.

The minimum temperatures were one to two notches below normal whereas the maximum temperatures were two to three notches below normal.

Kufri, Manali, Keylong and Kalpa in the state shivered at sub-zero temperatures.

Keylong recorded the lowest temperature in the state at minus 11 degrees Celsius. Kalpa in Kinnaur district registered a low of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, while Kufri and Manali shivered at minus 2.6 and minus 1.4 degrees Celsius respectively. The minimum temperature in Shimla and Dalhousie was 1.7 degrees Celsius each.

People of Uttar Pradesh got some respite from the cold weather conditions as sun shone bright in most parts of the state. According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature in Meerut and Bahraich settled at 6.7 degrees Celsius and 7.4 degrees Celsius, respectively, up from Wednesday.

State capital Lucknow recorded a low of 8.6 degrees Celsius. The weatherman has forecast rain and thundershowers in eastern districts of the state for Friday.

In Rajasthan a few places witnessed dense fog. Banasthali was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of 3.3 degrees Celsius, followed by 3.4 degrees Celsius in Fatehpur.

The mercury settled at a low of 4 degrees Celsius in Mount Abu, 4.2 in Bikaner, 4.4 in Sriganganagar, 5.5 each in Pilani and Jaisalmer, 6.2 in Churu, 8.2 in Barmer, 8.5 in Sikar, 9.6 in Swai Madhopur, 10.3 in Jodhpur and 10.5 each in Ajmer and Jaipur.

The maximum temperature in most places was recorded between 12.6 and 22.6 degrees Celsius.

Sriganganagar, however, recorded a maximum temperature of 8.2 degrees Celsius.

Churu, Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa, Dholpur, Kota and Jhalawar witnessed dense fog.

In Kashmir as well, the minimum temperatures increased slightly across the Valley even as the Met department predicted rain and snowfall from Thursday onwards.

The minimum temperature increased on Thursday across the Kashmir valley owing to a cloud cover.

Srinagar city recorded the low of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night - up from minus 4.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the low of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night - nearly four degrees up from the previous night's minus 11.0 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg continued to be the coldest recorded place in the valley, he added.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius - up from minus 6.9 degrees Celsius, he said.

Punjab and Haryana witnessed cold wave conditions too with Narnaul (Haryana) recording a minimum temperature of 1.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, an official said.

Minimum temperatures stayed a few notches below normal at several places.

Among other places in Haryana, the minimum temperatures in Ambala, Hisar and Karnal were 5.5, 3.5 and 4.6 degrees Celsius respectively, up to three degrees below normal, the official said.

Rohtak, Bhiwani and Sirsa braved chill at 4.4, 6.3 and 4.9 degrees Celsius respectively.

In Punjab, Faridkot registered a low of 2 degrees Celsius. Pathankot, Adampur, Halwara, Bathinda and Gurdaspur shivered at 5.5, 3.2, 3.8, 3.1 and 6.7 degrees Celsius respectively, the official said.

Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala experienced cold wave conditions at 3, 4.8 and 5.4 degrees Celsius respectively.

Chandigarh recorded a minimum temperature of 6.1 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal. Fog was witnessed at a few places including Faridkot and Narnaul.

Meanwhile, the weatherman said Odisha is likely to experience rainfall in its interior and coastal regions in the next two days.