CelsiusNew Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) Northern states of the country,including Jammu and Kashmir, reeled under intense cold waveconditions today as fog engulfed parts of Uttar Pradesh andDelhi.
In the national capital visibility dropped to 400 metresin the early hours due to fog, which also affected trainservices.
The minimum temperature here was 5.5 degrees Celsius, twonotches below the normal, and the maximum 23.3 degreesCelsius.
Visibility improved to 700 metres at 8:30 am and skiesremained clear throughout the day, a Meteorological (MeT)department official said.
The Northern Railway said that as many as 18 north-boundtrains were cancelled, 18 rescheduled and 44 delayed as of 7pm.
Dense fog was also reported from parts of eastern UttarPradesh with Muzaffarnagar being the coldest place in thestate at 2.6 degrees Celsius.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the minimum temperature in Lehplummeted by several degrees to minus 15 degrees Celsius ascold wave intensified in the state.
State capital Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature ofminus 4.6 degrees Celsius while Pahalgam and Kupwara in northKashmir recorded a low of minus 6.1 and minus 5.3 degreesCelsius respectively, a MeT official said.
The popular ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus4.5 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan', the 40-dayperiod of harshest winter when the chances of snowfall aremaximum. It ends on January 31.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (babycold).
Most parts of Punjab and Haryana reeled under coldweather conditions as minimum temperatures in several parts ofthe states remained several notches below the normal.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the states, shivered at5.1 degrees Celsius while Admapur was coldest place in theregion at 2.2 degrees Celsius, the MeT department said.
In Haryana, Ambala, Hisar and Karnal recorded 4.5, 3.5and 2.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, and in Punjab,Amritsar's minimum settled at 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Fog was reported from parts of both states.
People in Rajasthan had some respite as minimumtemperatures in the desert state rose by a few notches due toa western disturbance.
Sriganganagar was the coldest place in the state with theminimum at 3.4 degrees Celsius, the MeT office in Jaipur said.
PTI TEAMANB.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.