Minimum temperature drops in Punjab, Haryana

Mercury today dropped sharply in Punjab and Haryana with Karnal being the coldest place in the two states which have been witnessing fluctuations in minimum temperature during the current month, MeT officials said.

While Karnal in Haryana reeled under biting cold conditions, recording 4.4 degrees Celsius, down five notches against normal, Adampur turned out to be the coldest place in Punjab at 4.8 degrees Celsius.

Ludhiana residents also braved the chill at a low of five degrees Celsius, down two notches against normal, a MeT Department official said here.

Patiala, too, had a cold night at 5.6 degrees Celsius, down four degrees. Halwara (5.7), Faridkot (5.5), Bathinda (6) and Amritsar (6.4 degrees Celsius) also saw cold weather.
 

Chandigarh recorded a low of 7.6 degrees Celsius.

Among other places in Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 6.1 degrees Celsius, down two notches against normal while Hisar recorded a low of 6.2 degrees Celsius, three below normal limits.

The MeT official said that fog reduced visibility at Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Karnal this morning.

During the current month, the minimum temperature has been fluctuating in the two states. On February 2, the minimum temperature dropped below normal at most places while it rose a few notches above normal limits the next day.

On February 5, the minimum temperature rose between 6-10 degrees above normal, but dropped sharply between 2-5 degrees Celsius below normal two days later. On February 7, the night temperature again rose 2-4 notches above normal. Yesterday, it hovered well above normal at most places in the two states.

The MeT officials said that such fluctuations in mercury were not unusual. During the current month, many weather systems including Western Disturbance remain active over the region because of which the temperature has been fluctuating.

According to Surinder Paul, the Director of Chandigarh's MeT Department, "when the cloud cover was there, the temperature rose and when the sky turned clear, temperature dropped again. Such fluctuations are not unusual".