Minus 15.6 degrees Celsius in Leh, temp dropping in several parts of north India

The mercury continued its downward spiral parts of north India, including in UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh owing to clear skies, with Leh, Srinagar and Jammu experiencing the coldest night of the season, meteorological department officials said Tuesday.

In Delhi, the minimum temperature was 9.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday but weather experts said it is likely to drop to 7 degrees Celsius by Friday as high-velocity northwesterly winds continue to blow from the hills. Falling temperatures and an expected dip in the wind speed may push the pollution levels up in the national capital.

There is a possibility of shallow-to-moderate fog Wednesday morning in Delhi.

Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 15.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Srinagar dipped to minus 3 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees below the normal.

In Jammu, the minimum temperature was 7.2 degrees Celsius, 2.6 notches below the average. The city remained engulfed by fog during the morning hours.

The night temperatures have started to drop across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after snowfall in the higher reaches and rains in the plains last week. However, the day temperature is likely to remain stable as weatherman has forecast dry weather till Dec 10.

The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, covered by several feet of snow, was the coldest place recorded in the valley at minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.

Katra, which serves as the base camp for Vaishno Devi pilgrims, recorded a low of 8.7 degrees Celsius.

Intense cold wave persisted in parts of Himachal Pradesh but the weather is expected to remain dry in the state till Dec 9.

Tribal district Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong was the coldest place in the state at minus 10.8 degrees Celsius. Manali recorded a low of zero degree Celsius.