Mercury falls below freezing point in Kashmir, rains forcast for TN, Kerala

New Delhi: The mercury fell below freezing point across Kashmir and minimum temperatures at many places in north India were below the 10 degrees Celsius-mark on Monday, with Delhi recording its coldest November in 71 years, even as the IMD issued a warning for southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala in view of a brewing storm which is likely to bring heavy rains

there.

A depression formed over the Bay of Bengal which is very likely to intensify into a deep depression and progress as a cyclonic storm, bringing heavy rainfall between December 2 and 3, the India Meteorological Department said, adding that the storm is likely to cross the Sri Lankan coast on December 2 evening or night and then emerge into the Comorin area -around Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu the next day morning.

Under the influence of the weather system, rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep from December 1 to 4, it said.

Up north, Kashmir experienced sub-zero night temperature on Monday as the mercury fell below the freezing point across the

valley.

In Srinagar, which had recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the mercury settled at a low of minus 1.3 degrees Celsius while the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the Union Territory.

In Rajasthan, Mount Abu was recorded as the coldest place with a night temperature of 2.0 degrees Celsius while in the plains, Churu recorded a minimum temperature of 5.5 degrees Celsius, Sikar 6.0, Pilani 7.1 and Bhilwara 8.0 degrees Celsius.

According to the weather office, the night temperature at most places is likely to drop in the coming days.

The minimum temperatures hovered close to normal limits in Haryana and Punjab, with Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recording a low of 9.1 degrees Celsius.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 7.9 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius, one notch above

normal.