No respite from cold; Keylong, Kalpa, Manali shiver at sub-zero temperatures

Cold wave conditions intensified in the northern belt of India even as Keylong, Kalpa and Manali in Himachal Pradesh continued to shiver at sub-zero temperatures on Monday.The India Meteorological Department said Delhi is in for another cold wave with the minimum temperature likely to drop by four degrees Celsius over the next two-three days.

Cold wave conditions intensified in the northern belt of India even as Keylong, Kalpa and Manali in Himachal Pradesh continued to shiver at sub-zero temperatures on Monday.

The India Meteorological Department said Delhi is in for another cold wave with the minimum temperature likely to drop by four degrees Celsius over the next two-three days. “The maximum temperature in the national capital is likely to settle at around 16 degrees Celsius. Dense-to-very-dense fog is also predicted during the period,” Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre, said.

''A cold wave is likely to grip the city over the next two-three days as icy winds from the snow-laden western Himalayas bring the mercury down to 4 degrees Celsius,'' he said.

On Monday, the minimum temperature stood at 7.4 degrees Celsius in Delhi.

Keylong, Kalpa and Manali in Himachal Pradesh continued to shiver at sub-zero temperatures, the meteorological department said.

Keylong, the administrative centre of the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, continued to be the coldest place in the state at minus 13.1 degrees Celsius, Shimla MeT centre director Manmohan Singh said.

Kalpa and Manali recorded a low of minus 3.3 and minus one degree Celsius, respectively, he said.

The minimum temperature in Kufri and Dalhousie was recorded at 0.8 degrees and two degrees Celsius, respectively.

Shimla registered a low of 2.8 degrees Celsius, Singh said.

The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 22.5 degrees Celsius.

Cold conditions intensified in Kashmir as the minimum temperature dipped at most places following snowfall over the weekend, officials said.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, down from minus 1.9 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded a minimum of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3 degrees the previous night, they said.

The minimum temperature at Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district settled at minus 11.5 degrees Celsius, down from minus 11.0 degrees Celsius.

South Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan', the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably, leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the Dal Lake, as well as water supply lines in several parts of the Valley.

The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.

Mercury dipped in parts of Rajasthan where Mount Abu, the sole hill station in the desert state, recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, the weather office said.

In the plains, Churu and Bhilwara were recorded as the coldest places with 3.4 degrees Celsius.

The night temperature in the state settled below 10 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the IMD said it is expected to be foggy and chilly in at least 10 districts in Madhya Pradesh on Republic Day.

These districts, including Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa and Chambal divisions, are expected to get light, moderate or heavy fog, it said.

''The maximum temperature of Bhopal dropped from 27.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday to to 22.5 degrees Celsius on Monday. Indore and Jabalpur recorded a dip in maximum temperature by 2.0 and 3.9 degrees Celsius respectively,'' P K Saha, senior meteorologist, IMD, Bhopal said.

Minimum temperature dropped below normal at many places in Punjab and Haryana, with the mercury in Bathinda dropping as low as 0.7 degrees Celsius.

A thick blanket of fog again engulfed most places in the states in the morning, reducing visibility levels, meteorological department officials said.

After hovering above normal limits for a few days, the night temperatures dropped again.

Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab, while Faridkot, too, shivered at a low of 2 degrees Celsius.

Amritsar also braved the chill recording a low of 4.4 degrees Celsius.

Hisar was the coldest place in Haryana recording a low of 4.2 degrees, while Narnaul, too, experienced the chill at 4.3 degrees.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also recorded above normal minimum temperature.

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