Minimum temperatures drop sharply in Punjab and Haryana

Cold weather conditions intensified in most parts of Haryana and Punjab on Friday as minimum temperatures dropped sharply, with Bathinda reeling at 2.9 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest place in the two states.

Bathinda in Punjab was colder by five notches against normal limits.

Among other places in the state which reeled under biting cold included Faridkot (3.5 degrees Celsius), Amritsar (4 degrees Celsius), Ludhiana (6.8 degrees Celsius), Patiala (7 degrees Celsius), Pathankot (6.9 degrees Celsius), Adampur (5 degrees Celsius) and Halwara, a meteorological department official said here.

In neighbouring Haryana, Hisar was the coldest place recording a low of 3.3 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal while Narnaul, reeled under biting chill at 3.8 degrees Celsius.

Among other places in the state, Rohtak (5.4 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (4.4 degrees Celsius), Bhiwani (5.9 degrees Celsius), Karnal (5.8 degrees Celsius) and Ambala (6.9 degrees Celsius) experienced a cold night.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also recorded a low of 8 degrees Celsius.

During the past few days, the maximum temperatures in the two states have been hovering 1-3 notches below normal and settling in the range of 17-19 degrees Celsius at most places.

The MeT official said that fog reduced visibility on Friday morning at many places including Chandigarh, Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Bhiwani, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda and Faridkot.