North India shivers under severe cold, Drass coldest

Famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall and several other areas in northern India were in the frigid grip of cold wave on Monday even as the maximum temperature in Delhi settled 10 notches below the season's average and dense fog disrupted several flights in Chandigarh.

Drass in Jammu and Kashmir emerged as the coldest place in the region at minus 27.2 degrees Celsius.

Delhiites experienced a chilly day as the maximum temperature settled at 12.9 degree Celsius, 10 notches below the season's average.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 10.2 degree Celsius, two notches above the season's average, the Met department said, adding that the severe cold wave will continue unabated in the national capital on Tuesday.

The visibility remained low in many parts of the city due to moderate fog.

Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla received fresh snowfall overnight while Keylong, Kalpa, Manali and Kufri shivered at sub-zero temperatures, the meteorological department said.

Shimla received 7.3 cm snowfall during the last 24 hours, Shimla Meteorological Centre director Manmohan Singh said, adding that the city received snowfall for the third consecutive day on Monday.

Meanwhile, cold wave conditions intensified as tourist destination Manali shivered at minus 4.8 degrees Celsius while Kufri recorded minus 1.2 degrees Celsius.

The lowest temperature in the state was recorded in Lahaul-spiti's administrative centre Keylong at minus 14.9 degrees Celsius, he added.

The minimum temperature at popular tourist destinations like Shimla was 0.8 degrees Celsius, Chamba 1 degree Celsius, Solan 1.2 degrees Celsius and Dalhousie 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Bilaspur at 21 degrees Celsius each.

The meteorological department has forecast more rains and snowfall in the state from December 19 to 21.

In most parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, the mercury dipped on Monday with Drass emerging as the coldest place in the region.

The weatherman has forecast dry weather in the plains and the higher reaches of the two union territories for the next four days.

Drass town, popularly known as 'the gateway to Ladakh', recorded a minimum of minus 27.2 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded place in the region, the spokesperson said.

The town is arguably the country's coldest inhabited place, officials said.

Drass plummeted to an unforgiving minus 60 degrees Celsius on January 9, 1995.

The spokesperson said Leh town of Ladakh continued to freeze at a low of minus 16.7 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar, which witnessed an unprecedented snowfall last week, marked a dip in the day and night temperatures which settled at 5.8 degrees Celsius and minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, respectively, he said.

The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir at a minimum of minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 10 degrees Celsius, the spokesperson said.

The minimum temperature in Jammu was 5.7 degrees Celsius, he said.

Katra, the famous town which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, recorded a minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius, the spokesperson said.

In Uttarakhand, several tourists are stuck at the higher reaches as highways which were closed due to the heavy snowfall on December 12-13 are yet to be opened, officials said.

The snowfall has also disrupted power supply to dozens of villages in Gaisain, Narayan Bagad, Joshimath and Tehri which too has not been restored yet, officials said.

Pathankot in Punjab and Union Territory Chandigarh recorded the season's coldest day so far at 9.9 degrees Celsius and 11.4 degrees Celsius respectively as maximum temperatures dropped sharply in the region.

The day-temperatures in the plains of Punjab and Haryana dropped between 7-11 degrees below normal limits.

Chandigarh, like many other places in the two states was enveloped by fog in the morning and its maximum temperature settled 11 degrees below normal, he said.

Similarly, Pathankot's maximum temperature settled 10 notches below normal, he added.

The other coldest places in Punjab included Bathinda, which recorded a maximum temperature of 11.3 degrees Celsius followed by Adampur (12.2), Halwara (13.3).

Amritsar recorded a high of 14 degrees Celsius, down seven notches against normal and Patiala's maximum temperature settled at 13.4 degrees Celsius, eight degrees below normal limits.

In Haryana, Hisar recorded a maximum of 11.9 degrees Celsius, 11 notches below normal, Ambala registered a high of 12.5 degrees Celsius, down 10 degrees while Karnal shivered at a high of 12.6 degrees Celsius, ten degrees below normal.

The night temperatures settled in the range of 8 to 9 degrees Celsius at most places.

Meanwhile, fog reduced visibility at many places in the two states including Amritsar, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ambala and Hisar.

Due to the bad weather and poor visibility, several flights got delayed in Chandigarh.

In Rajasthan, cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Rajasthan with the state's only hill station Mount Abu recording a minimum of 1.4 degree Celsius on Sunday night, the meteorological department said.

The night temperature in other districts remained above 10 degrees, according to Met department here.