Mercury drops in North India as cold intensifies

Temperatures dropped below normal levels across the northern region today with most places recording under 10-degree Celsius level, even as cold wave gripped Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 9.4 degrees Celsius today, four notches below normal, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 27.5 degrees Celsius, one degree departure from normal.
The weatherman has forecast mainly clear sky with mist or shallow fog in the morning and the maximum temperature would be around 28 degree Celsius.
Higher up, in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, cold wave conditions prevailed in the middle and higher reaches of the state.

While Keylong and Kalpa in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a minimum of -2.0 and 1.4 degrees, Shimla saw the mercury settle at 7.7 degree Celsius.
Mercury plummeted as cold winds swept across Rajasthan with Churu being the coldest place recording a minimum temperature of 6.0 degrees Celsius last night.

In Chandigarh, the maximum temperature was registered at 26.2 degree Celsius and the minimum settled at 8.7 degree Celsius.
The weatherman has predicted mainly sunny days in Haryana and Punjab with mist or haze occuring during morning. Mercury plummeted in Ludhiana with minimum temperature recorded at 06.9 degree Celsius and maximum at 27.5 degree C.

While Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 7.4 degree Celsius, Jalandhar settled at 6.9 degree Celsius.
Hissar in Haryana saw temperature oscillating between 28.3 and 7.5 degree Celsius.
In Uttar Pradesh, the state capital Lucknow experienced two degree departure from the normal as the maximum temperature settled at 27.4 deg C while the minimum was recorded at 10.2 deg C. In heritage city of Agra, the temperature oscillated between 28.7 and 8.9 degree Celsius.