Cold prevails in parts of north India, 20 trains running late

Minimum temperatures stayed below freezing point in Kashmir Valley and the higher altitudes of Himachal Pradesh while cold conditions also prevailed in parts of the northern plains.
Due to foggy conditions, 20 north-bound trains were running late by at least two hours and eight others have been rescheduled, a railway spokesperson said.
It was relatively a warm day in the national capital which recorded maximum temperature of 24.7 degrees Celsius, while the minimum was 8.9 degrees Celsius.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Leh recorded the coldest February night in the last four years as the minimum temperature settled at minus 16.1 degrees Celsius making it the coldest recorded place in the state.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, registered a minimum of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Gulmarg in north Kashmir settled at minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, while the health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.5 degrees Celsius.

The mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh had no respite from cold wave conditions as night temperatures remained below normal while the local MeT office predicted rains or snow at isolated places in higher hills from day after tomorrow.
Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti, and Kinnaur districts recorded minimum temperatures at minus 11.8 degrees Celsius and minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, while Manali shivered at 0.2 degrees Celsius while Solan and Bhuntar recorded a low of 3.2 degrees Celsius and 3.4 degrees Celsius.

Maximum temperatures rose marginally and Una in Sivalik foothills was the hottest with a high of 26.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Solan 21.4 degrees Celsius and Shimla 17 degrees Celsius.
Adampur was the coldest place in Punjab, recording minimum temperature of 4.7 degrees Celsius as cold weather conditions prevailed in most parts of the state and neighbouring Haryana.
Most places in Punjab today recorded below normal minimum temperature. Amritsar had a cold night at 5.6 degrees Celsius, while Halwara recorded a low of 6.5 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh registered a low of 8.6 degrees Celsius. In Haryana, Hisar recorded a low of 6 degrees Celsius, down four notches against normal while Karnal's low settled at 6.2 degrees Celsius, which was three degrees below normal limits.

Bihar witnessed bright sunshine with its major cities witnessing an increase in maximum and minimum temperatures. The four major cities of Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur and Purnea witnessed two to four degrees Celsius above normal maximum temperature.
Minimum temperatures too witnessed an increase of one to two degrees Celsius from normal in these cities.
The maximum temperature in Patna at 29.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 13.1 degrees Celsius.