Chandigarh, February 11
Rains lashed several parts of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, reviving cold wave conditions at many places in the region even as mercury plummeted to a bone chilling 6.50C in Shimla during the day, today.
The city received heavy rain (9 mm) during the day and maximum dropped by a few degrees to record 17.80C, a weather bureau official said here.
In Haryana, Ambala also received heavy rain today at 13 mm. Reports of rainfall were also received from many other towns in the state. The minimum in Hisar was recorded at 6.60C and a chilling 3.50C at Narnaul.
Rains lashed many Punjab towns and cold wave conditions persisted at Patiala, which recorded a low of 60C, down three degrees. It was also the wettest place in Punjab today, getting drenched by 27 mm of rain and the high dropped to 15.90C, reports available with the weather bureau said.
Ludhiana, too, had rains at 6 mm. The maximum dropped by a few degrees from normal to settle at 16.10C. Amritsar recorded a similar high as that of Patiala at 15.90C. The low was recorded a few degrees below normal at 4.90C.
SHIMLA: Intense cold wave conditions have again tightened its grip in the Shimla region after a day’s respite yesterday with mercury dipping to -20C.
After a short break last night tribal areas were lashed by snowfall as icy winds swept the areas forcing the people to stay indoors.
There was no let up in the cold wave conditions with the minimum temperature plummeting to be below -150 to -200C as all lakes, rivulets and springs froze, according to the reports received at the state headquarters.
The tourist resorts of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda experienced snowfall this afternoon.
Reports of rainfall were received from many other Himachal towns, including Sundernagar (6 mm), Bhunter (2 mm) and Una. The minimum at Solan was recorded at 4.50C and near similar at Una, at 4.60C.
In Jammu and Kashmir, its summer capital Srinagar was under the grip of intense cold wave as the minimum dropped five degrees below normal to record 5.90C below the freezing point, the official said adding that state’s winter capital, Jammu, was also under the grip of cold wave with a low of 7.10C (three below normal).
The forecast valid over the next 24 hours is rain or snow is likely to occur at many places in Himachal, with rain or thundershower at many places in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. There is a possibility of hailstorms and thundersqualls at isolated places in the region.
The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh tribal districts today experienced moderate to heavy snowfall. The tribal districts of Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi valley in Chamba district had heavy snowfall after a day’s recess yesterday.
