Pleasant day in plains of North, chill stays in hills

Temperature rose marginally in most parts of North India as Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan experienced a pleasant and sunny day today but the winter chill prevailed in Kashmir Valley and higher parts of Uttarakhand which received another spell of snowfall.
In Delhi, the maximum temperature was recorded at 23.8 degree Celsius, two notches above normal level. The minimum this morning was 10 degrees, two degree above normal.
A sunny day was experienced in the national capital today after cold winds in the morning. At least 20 trains were delayed due to morning fog.
There was a let up in the cold wave conditions in several parts of Punjab and Haryana as minimum temperatures rose by several notches above normal across the two states.

Chandigarh recorded 12.2 degrees, five notches above normal, a MeT department report said. Amritsar's low settled at 7.8 degrees, three degrees above normal.
In neighbouring Haryana, Ambala's low settled at 12 degrees, five degrees above normal.

Over a month-long cold wave abated in Rajasthan as mercury shot up at most places in the state.
The mercury rose by one to six degrees at most places due to passing of Western Disturbances and upper air cyclonic system which entered the state this weekend, a Met report said.
Jaipur experienced strong winds and its minimum temperature settled at 13 degree Celsius last night.

In Kashmir, intermittent snowfall continued for second day today with the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recording more than one-and-a-half feet snow.
The MeT department has forecast more snow over the next 24 hours across the Valley.
A MeT department spokeswoman said that Pahalgam hill resort, which serves as the base camp during Amarnath yatra, recorded a jump of nearly three degrees in the mercury from the previous night's low of minus 3.4 degrees. It settled at minus 0.6 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam received 8.6 cms of snowfall during the night, she added.
Srinagar recorded 2.5 cms of snow and the minimum temperature in the city settled at a low of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.

The MeT Department has said there would be widespread rains or snow over the state over the next 24 hours.
The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway has been closed for vehicular traffic and restrictions have been put on various inter-district highways.