Cold wave persists in north India

North India remained in the grip of cold though Kashmir Valley and the national capital had some respite after a slight increase in temperatures.
Pleasant weather conditions prevailed under clear skies in the national capital with moderate foggy conditions being witnessed in some parts of the city.
The maximum temperature settled at 25.4 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average, while the minimum settled at 7.6 degrees Celsius, said a MeT department official.
The night temperature in Kashmir rose by several degrees, providing relief from intense cold conditions to residents in the valley and Ladakh region.
The MeT department said the night temperature in Kargil in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir increased nearly 12 degrees last night as the mercury settled at a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius from minus 15.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The official said the nearby Leh town recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, up over six degrees from the previous night's minus 12.7 degrees Celsius.

He said the minimum temperature in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, increased over three degrees from minus 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night to settle at 0.7 degree Celsius last night.
The MeT office has forecast light rains or snowfall at isolated places in the higher reaches of Kashmir, but predicted mainly dry weather for a few days from tomorrow.
In the desert state of Rajasthan, Mount Abu was the coldest place with a minimum temperature of 2.4 degrees Celsius followed by Bhilwara, where the temperature was recorded at 3.8 degrees Celsius.

Sikar, Alwar, Churu and Chittorgarh in the state recorded minimum temperatures of 4 degrees, 4.2 degrees, 4.7 degrees and 5.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, while the night temperature in Banasthali, Pilani, Dabok and Sriganganagar stood at 5.9 degrees, 6.1 degrees, 6.6 degrees and 7.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Cold weather conditions also prevailed in most parts of Haryana and neighbouring Punjab, where Hisar was the coldest at 4.5 degrees Celsius, the MeT said.
Among other places in Haryana, Karnal experienced a cold night at a low of 5.5 degrees, Narnaul at 5 degrees, Rohtak at 6.3 degrees and Ambala at 7.4 degrees Celsius.

"Fog reduced visibility in the morning hours at several places in Haryana and Punjab," the official said.
In Punjab, Adampur continued to reel under biting cold recording a low of 5.5 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 7.4 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, weather is likely to remain dry in Uttar Pradesh, with the weatherman stating that dense to very dense fog is very likely at isolated places in the northern state.
Capital city of Lucknow recorded a minimum temperature of 7.9 degrees Celsius, whereas Bahraich and Muzaffarnagar recorded a low of 5.4 degrees Celsius each.