Cold wave continues to sweep Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan

Cold wave on Saturday continued to sweep Kashmir as the minimum temperature across the region plunged further and mercury in Srinagar fell nearly five degrees below the freezing point. 

The minimum temperature in Srinagar dropped by 2.6 degrees Celsius from Friday to settle at minus 4.8 deg C, a MeT official said.

In the famous Gulmarg skiing resort, in north Kashmir, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 12.5 deg C, marking a drop of 0.7 points from Friday, he said.

Minimum temperature also dropped in south Kashmir's Pahalgam tourist resort as the mercury there settled at minus 12.2 deg C, a fall of 2.4 points from last night.

South Kashmir's Qazigund town, which acts as the gateway to the Kashmir Valley, recorded a freezing night with minimum temperature dropping to minus 7.0 deg C.

Kupwara frontier town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.2 deg C, the official said.

Leh town in remote Ladakh region recorded minimum minus 17.2 deg C, an increase of 4.4 deg C from Friday, he said.

The adjoining Kargil town, also in Ladakh region, recorded a low of minus 19.0 deg C.

Cold wave sweeps Punjab and Haryana

Cold wave swept Punjab and Haryana with minimum temperatures further dipping between 2-5 degrees Celsius in the region.

Hisar in Haryana was the coldest place in the two states recording a bone-chilling low of 2.6 deg C, down four notches below normal, the MeT said in Chandigarh.

Narnaul recorded a minimum of 3 deg C, down by three points below normal, while Rohtak settled at a low of 3.5 deg C, down by five notches below normal.

Ambala (4.4 degrees Celsius) and Bhiwani (4.8 degrees Celsius) also reeled under biting cold.

The minimum at Chandigarh dropped by three notches below normal since Friday to settle at 4.9 deg C.

Amritsar in Punjab reeled under biting cold at 3.6 deg C, down one notch than normal.

Piercing chill was back at Ludhiana, where the minimum settled at 3.4 deg C, down five notches below normal, while Patiala recorded a low of 4 deg C, three points below normal.

Sriganganagar coldest in Rajasthan

Cold conditions on Saturday continued in the desert state of Rajasthan with Sriganganagar recording the lowest minimum temperature of 3.4 degrees Celsius.

Churu recorded a low of 3.6 deg C. Pilani and Jaisalmer recorded a low of 4.7 deg C and 6.4 deg C respectively, while 'Pink City' Jaipur recorded a minimum of 9.9 deg C, MeT officials said.