Season's first snow in Kashmir plains, north India shivers
Breaking a long dry spell, plain areas in Kashmir received the season's first snow on Thursday. In other northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi cold weather conditions prevailed while rain lashed parts of south India.
While there was no snow in Srinagar, the plains of Shopian, Pulwama and Baramulla, as well as the upper areas of Anantnag, Budgam and Bandipora received light snow.
The higher reaches of the valley, including the tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Tangmarg, Gurez and the Zojila Pass, witnessed light to moderate snow.
Due to accumulation of snow along the Zojila Pass, the Srinagar-Leh highway was closed for traffic, while the Bandipora-Gurez road and Mughal Road were also shut, officials said.
Delhi recorded its coldest December day in the last three years on Thursday as the mercury dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius. Cold wave conditions were observed at isolated places in Delhi, including Ayanagar and Pusa, where the temperatures dropped to 3.8 and 3.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In Himachal Pradesh, traces of snow were witnessed on Gondla in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti in the past 24 hours.
The high-altitude and tribal areas continued to reel under cold waves. Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti was coldest on Wednesday night, recording a low of minus 11.3 degree Celsius.
Una was hottest during the day with a maximum temperature of 23.6 degree Celsius.
The Shimla weather station has predicted dry weather in the state for the next one week.
Rajasthan continued to reel under intense cold weather conditions, with Fatehpur town in Sikar district recording the lowest night temperature of 0.1 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT department.
The mercury dipped to 1 degree Celsius in Sikar city, while Churu and Karauli recorded a low of of 2.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast similar cold conditions, with the possibility of intense cold in some areas over the next 24 hours.
Haryana's Hisar reeled under severe cold with mercury plunging to 1.6 degrees Celsius on Thursday as biting chill prevailed at many places in the state and in neighbouring Punjab.
Chandigarh also experienced a cold night, recording a temperature of 4.7 degrees Celsius.
Karnal in Haryana recorded a minimum of 3.6 degrees Celsius, Rohtak 4.4 degrees Celsius, Sirsa 4 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Punjab's Faridkot recorded a low of 3 degrees Celsius, Pathankot 4.3 degrees Celsius, Bathinda 4.6 degrees Celsius and Patiala 4.5 degrees Celsius.
As biting cold was witnessed in north India, rain lashed southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
Widespread rains lashed parts of Tamil Nadu on Thursday, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for schools in Chennai and many other districts.
