Cold conditions intensify in Punjab, Haryana

A thick blanket of fog in most parts of the two states, including Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Rohtak reduced visibility upto few metres adversely affecting the traffic, causing inconvenience to passengers, officials said here.

While certain flights were scheduled hours behind their departure or arrival times, the trains criss-crossing the region, including Shaan-e-Punjab, Paschim express, Tata Mori and Golden temple were running late in view of poor visibility, authorities said.

The minimum temperatures in the region hovered between two to seven notches below normal, the Met office said here adding that cold winds swept the region further intensifying cold conditions.

In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, the minimum temperature dipped to 1.8 degrees celsius in Hisar, five notches below normal.

While Amritsar shivered at a low of 2.2 degrees celsius, two notches below normal, the minimum at Narnaul settled at 3.5 degrees celsius, three notches below normal.

Among other places, Patiala braved a low of 4.6 degrees celsius, two notches below normal followed by 5.2 degrees celsius at Ludhiana, also two notches below normal, six degrees celsius at Bhiwani and 6.4 degrees celsius at Ambala, seven notches below normal.

Chandigarh had a low of 6.2 degrees celsius which was seven notches below normal while Karnal settled at 6.2 degrees celsius, five notches below normal.

The Met forecast foggy conditions in the region during the next 24 hours with further drop in minimum temperatures across Punjab and Haryana.