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• Amritsar coldest at 5.2°C

• Finally there is sun

REGION

NATION

Read under headings Max (maximum temperature), Min (minimum temperature), R (rainfall in past 24 hours) and TR (Total rain since Jan 1):

Amritsar coldest at 5.2°C
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20
Rainfall: Rain or snow has occurred at most places in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttaranchal. Rain or thundershowers have occurred at many places in east Uttar Pradesh and at a few places in Punjab and at isolated places in Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh. The weather was mainly dry in the rest of the region. The chief amounts of precipitation in cm are: Himachal Pradesh: Bangana, Nadaun and Nagrota Surian 2 each and Bhuntar, Guler, Rampur Bushar and Una 1 each. Jammu and Kashmir: Katra 6, Jammu 2 and Quazigund 1, East Uttar Pradesh: Bahraich 2 and Gorakhpur and Varanasi AP 1 each, West Uttar Pradesh: Muzzaffar Nagar 1 and Uttaranchal: Pantnagar and Tehri 1 each.

Snowfall (cm): Himachal Pradesh: Dhundhi and Solangnala 14 each and Bhang 5. Temperatures: Past 24 hours change: minimum temperatures fell markedly in west Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, fell appreciably in Haryana, Punjab and east Rajasthan, fell in west Rajasthan and changed little elsewhere. The lowest temperature in the plains was 5.2°C recorded at Amritsar (Punjab). 

Forecast valid until the morning of 22nd February 2003: Rain or snow will occur at many places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal and at a few places in Jammu and Kashmir. Rain or thundershowers are likely at isolated places in Haryana, Punjab and Utttar Pradesh. It will be mainly dry in Rajasthan. Heavy rainfall warning: Heavy rain or snow is likely at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal during the next 24 hours. Heavy rain or snow is likely at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal during the next 24 hours.

Outlook for the subsequent two days: No change.

Finally there is sun

Chandigarh
The people in northwest region on Thursday greeted the bright sun, after four days of unprecedented battering caused by widespread snow in hilly states, high velocity squalls, thunder and hail storms which left a trail of destruction, both in terms life and property.

However, while Shimla, in Himachal Pradesh and its surrounding areas shivered under below freezing point temperature Amritsar with the low of 5.2°C and 1.6 mm rainfall turned out to be the coldest place in plains.

Chandigarh at 7.6°C, Ambala (6.5°C), Ludhiana (7.4°C), Patiala (7.4°C), Jammu (9.2°C), Delhi (8.9°C) were colder by two to three degrees below normal temperatures. The city and surrounding areas recorded 0.6 mm more rain and the day temperature hovered around 20°C, against the normal of 24°C and 17.6°C recorded yesterday.

Whirlwinds, sqaulls and hailstorms had damaged wheat, gram, mustard, pulses crops and standing sugar cane at a number of places.