Respite from cold in North India

New Delhi: Parts of North India experienced a little respite from cold as mercury rose by a few notches in some states, with the IMD on Tuesday forecasting dry weather for Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh till at least November 6.

Weather remained dry in Himachal Pradesh and it will continue to be dry in the next week till December 7, Shimla Meteorological Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.

Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre, Keylong, recorded the coldest temperature in the state at minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, he said.

Kinnaur's Kalpa recorded a low of 2.6 degrees Celsius, he added. The minimum temperature in Manali, Kufri and Dalhousie was recorded at 3.4 degrees, 9.5 degrees and 10.4 degrees Celsius respectively, the weatherman said.

Shimla recorded a low of 10.3 degrees Celsius, Singh added. The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg was the only place in Kashmir which experienced a sub-zero night as there was an improvement in the minimum temperature across the valley and the weather is expected to remain dry till December 6, officials said.

Gulmarg, in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, was the only place in the valley where the mercury stayed below the freezing point at a low of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

They said the mercury in Srinagar, which had recorded minimum temperature of minus 1.3 degrees Celsius on Monday, settled at a low of 1.0 degree Celsius on Tuesday.

Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir's Anantnag district recorded a low of 0.2 degree Celsius.

The officials said the mercury settled at the minimum of 1.4 degree Celsius in Qazigund, 1.0 degrees Celsius in Kupwara and 1.2 degrees Celsius in Kokernag.

The MET Office has forecast mainly dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir till December 6, after which there is a possibility of a spell of rain/snow during December 7-8.

Minimum temperatures increased by two to three notches in parts of Rajasthan and the state's only hill station Mount Abu recorded a low of 4.4 degrees Celsius on Monday night.

The minimum temperature in Churu was 6.5 degrees Celsius. It was 7 degrees Celsius in Sikar, 7.6 degrees Celsius in Pilani, 8.9 degrees Celsius in Bhilwara, 9.5 degrees Celsius in Sriganganagar and 10.2 degrees Celsius in Chittorgarh and Dabok. Minimum temperatures again settled above normal limits in Haryana and Punjab.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 9 degrees Celsius, up one notch against normal limits, according to the Meteorological Department here. In Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 8.3 degrees, while Karnal recorded a low of 9 degrees Celsius. Amritsar in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. Ludhiana and Patiala both recorded a low of 9.2 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Tuesday reviewed the situation evolving in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep where heavy to very heavy rains are expected in view of a deep depression emerging along the coastline.

At a meeting held here, the NCMC, headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, also took note of the advisory given to fishermen and deployment of rescue teams.

In view of the deep depression emerging along the southern coast of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the cabinet secretary chaired the NCMC meeting through video conferencing with the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the advisor Lakshadweep and secretaries of different ministries, an official statement

said.