Many parts of Uttar Pradesh woke up to a chillyweekend Saturday as icy winds swept across the state.
According to the Met office, the recent rainfall andsnowfall in the Kashmir Valley and showers in parts of western Uttar Pradeshhave triggered the onset of winters.
The mercury is set to plummet further in the coming week.
"November was unusually cold in Lucknow andneighbouring areas and now that December has started, be prepared for a longspell of cold," a Met official told IANS.
The temperature, both during the day and night, are likelyto continue to fall in the next three-four days, the weatherman said.
While the days would be sunny, icy winds would continue toblow leading to a further drop in temperature.
The winds are said to be result of a western disturbancewhich has caused snowfall in the mountains and rain in the plains, the officialsaid. There is mist in the mornings and fog at night.
Lucknow recorded a maximum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius- three degrees above normal and a minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius,about one degree below normal.
The day temperatures in the coming week across Uttar Pradeshis likely to touch 7-8 degrees Celsius, according to weather officials.
The humidity is pegged at 88 percent, which willadd to the morning mist and the evening fog.