Cold wave continues in Kashmir, fog engulfs places in North

Intense cold wave continued in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh today while the minimum temperatures dipped in parts of Punjab and Haryana with fog engulfing several areas in northern India.
Though the mercury in Kashmir remained several degrees below the freezing point, the Meteorological (MeT) department has forecast the dry spell in the region to end in the next couple of days.
Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius while the mercury at the ski-resort of Gulmarg settled at minus 8.3 degrees Celsius.
Kargil continued to be the coldest place in the state at minus 15 degrees Celsius. Leh recorded minus 11.8 degrees Celsius.

The MeT department has forecast rains or snowfall in isolated places tomorrow in Kashmir and fairly widespread downpour on Monday.
If the forecast comes good, it will end the dry spell this winter which has now entered the seventh week -- an unusual occurrence in Kashmir during January when chances of snowfall are maximum.

The region is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan a 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum, and the temperature drops considerably.
It ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley.

In Himachal Pradesh, minimum temperatures hovered around the freezing point in most parts of the state.
High-altitude tribal areas reeled under biting cold wave conditions with the mercury staying between minus 14 and minus 21 degrees Celsius.
Keylong recorded a low of minus 8 degrees Celsius, Kalpa minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, Manali minus 2.4 degrees Celsius and Sundernagar minus 0.7 degrees Celsius.
Intense cold weather conditions also prevailed in most parts of Punjab and Haryana, with a thick blanket of fog reducing visibility and causing inconvenience to commuters.
The joint capital, Chandigarh, shivered at 8.5 degrees Celsius with Gurdaspur in Punjab being the coldest place in the region with a low of 4 degrees Celsius, the MeT office said.

In neighbouring Haryana, Ambala braved the cold weather with a low of 8.6 degrees Celsius.
The weather in Uttar Pradesh remained dry, with dense fog occurring at a few places in eastern and western parts of the state.
Cold wave was reported from isolated places in the state, especially from those in eastern UP, the MeT department in Lucknow said.