Snowfall, rains usher winter chill in North India

Light showers and breeze brought chill to the national capital with day temperature dipping by nine degrees celsius compared to the previous day.

The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi, which had been experiencing relatively warmer days in the past few days, settled at 11.5 and 18.7 degrees celsius respectively.

Famous ski resort Gulmarg and Shopian in Kashmir Valley experienced snowfall as showers drenched Srinagar and Anantnag district including the Jawahar Tunnel -- the gateway to the Valley -- ending a nearly month-long dry spell.

Gulmarg was the coldest place in the Valley with the minimum temperature touching minus 7.5 degrees celsius while tourist resort Pahalgam reeled at minus 2.2 degrees.

The minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar city was minus 1.7 degrees celsius as Ladakh region froze at sub-zero temperature.

Hills surrounding popular tourist destinations of Shimla, Manali and Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh received the season's first snowfall while higher hills had heavy snowing bringing biting cold wave conditions in the state.

Five to 15 cms of snow fell on scenic Manali and Dalhousie while Solang Nallah and Rohtang Pass recorded 45 and 80 cms of snow respectively.

The tribal areas, which received 70 to 100 cms of snow, groaned under arctic conditions with minimum temperatures hovering between minus eight and minus 13 degrees celsius. MORE