Fog disrupts visibility in parts of Punjab, Haryana; day-temperatures drop sharply

Cold wave intensified in Punjab and Haryana on Sunday with day temperatures registering a sharp drop even as fog in the morning hours reduced visibility at many places.

In the wake of severe cold weather conditions prevailing in the region, the Punjab government on Sunday ordered the closure of all schools up to Class 10 class till January 14.

The Chandigarh Administration announced that all schools in Chandigarh for classes up to Class 8 will remain closed till January 13 in view of prevailing severe cold weather conditions.

"There will be no classes, in physical mode, up to Class 8 in any government, government-aided and recognised private school of UT Chandigarh for the next six days, that is from January 8-13. The schools may organise online classes for the students of these classes,'' as per the order issued by Director, School Education here.

For Class IX to XII in all government, government-aided and recognised private schools of UT Chandigarh, the school timings shall be in terms of the order dated January 6, it added.

The department on Saturday had ordered that schools would not open before 9:30 am and close no later than 3 pm.

Meanwhile, piercing cold prevailed in Chandigarh during the day, with maximum temperature settling at 11.4 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal, according to the Meteorological Department's weather report.

Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Faridkot and Gurdaspur reeled under severe chill recording respective maximum temperatures of 9.4 deg C, 10.6 deg C, 10.4 deg C, 10.6 deg C, 10.8 deg C, 11 deg C and 11.5 deg C.

In Haryana, Ambala reeled under biting cold recording a high of 10.5 deg C while Hisar recorded a maximum of 12 deg C.

Sirsa, Fatehabad and Kurukshetra also recorded below-normal maximums of 11.6 degrees C, 10.2 degrees C and 11 degrees C, respectively.

Meanwhile, many places in the two states also experienced a cold night.

Amritsar in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius.

Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot, Bathinda, Faridkot and Gurdaspur also experienced a cold night, recording respective minimums of 6.5 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees Celsius, 6.2 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees Celsius and 6 degrees Celsius.

Chandigarh, which was enveloped by fog this morning, recorded a low of 7.6 degrees Celsius.

Bhiwani in Haryana recorded a low of 6.7 degrees Celsius.

Ambala, Narnaul, Hisar and Karnal recorded respective minimums of 7.5 degrees Celsius, 7.9 degrees Celsius, 8.1 degrees Celsius and 8.4 degrees Celsius.