Northerly cold winds bring down mercury in north India

Cold weather persisted in most parts of north India today with mercury dipping in several areas in the plain in the impact of northerly cold winds while Kashmir got slight respite from cold wave.
In the national capital, the maximum temperature settled at 24.4 degrees Celsius, nearly two notches down from yesterday's 26 degrees Celsius.
The minimum in the national capital was 9.7 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, said a MeT department official. Yesterday, the minimum stood at 11.5 degrees Celsius.
Mercury dipped across Rajasthan as strong northerly cold winds blew throughout the day with Srigangangar experiencing chilly weather at 6.4 degrees Celsius. Temperatures plummeted by one to five degrees Celsius at all places in Rajasthan last night as the cold winds struck parts of the state.

People in Sriganganagar shivered at the lowest temperature of the state at 6.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Churu 7.6, Pilani 7.7, Sikar 8, Jaisalmer 9 and Tonk 9.1 degrees Celsius.
People in Jaipur experienced cold wave-like condition last night but with a bright sunny day there was a little respite from sweeping cold winds. Jaipur recorded a minimum of 12.2 degrees Celsius.

Cold weather conditions also persisted at many places in Punjab and Haryana, where the minimum temperature hovered below normal limits. Amritsar experienced a low of 4.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. Ludhiana and Patiala recorded identical minimum of 8.2 degrees Celsius.

Union Territory of Chandigarh recorded a minimum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius. Hisar and Narnaul in Haryana too saw cold nights with minimum temperatures below normal levels at 6.8 and 6.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Meanwhile, there was slight respite from cold wave conditions in Kashmir as the minimum temperature rose marginally across several places in the Valley.
Srinagar registered a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to 0.5 degree Celsius the previous night. There was an improvement of three notches in night temperature in the south Kashmir towns of Qazigund and Kokernag as they recorded a minimum of 1.0 and minus 0.9 degree Celsius, respectively.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius -- an increase from the previous night's minus 8.2 degrees Celsius. Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered the minimum of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The minimu temperature was recorded below normal in most
parts of Punjab and Haryana.
Hisar in Haryana was the coldest place in the region at 1.7 degrees. Karnal and Narnaul braved piercing cold at 1.8 and 3.1 degrees Celsius respectively. Amritsar in Punjab shivered at 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Dense fog added to the woes of people due to cold weather in Uttar Pradesh. Muzaffarnagar was in the grip of the wintry chill at 1.2 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature fell in Agra and was recorded markedly below normal in Gorakhpur and appreciately below normal in Vasranasi, Faizabad, Allahabad, Lucknow, Bareilly and Meerut.