Fog, cold wave grips northern region

CHANDIGARH: A thick layor of fog gripped the northern region even as the cold wave has intensified bringing normal life to halt.



However, Chandigarh registered maximum rise in mercury with 8° Celsius, Amritsar recorded the lowest temperature of 1.4° Celsius, making it the coldest in plains.

Adampur recorded a low of 2.6° Celsius, followed by Halwara that saw a low of 4.6° Celsius. The mercury had witnessed a considerable rise coupled with sunshine at all these places during the past two days.

In the Malwa belt, Bathinda recorded a minimum temperature of 5.2° Celsius, while Pathankot saw a low of 5.6° Celsius. Ambala recorded a low of 9.4° Celsius bringing respite from the chill in the weather. Jammu remained at a cosy 6.4° Celsius followed by Udhampur that recorded a minimum temperature of 4° Celsius.

The major respite came for the residents of the upper reaches of the valley, who have been braving freezing low temperature for the past many days. Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 13.2° Celsius, while Srinagar saw a low of 0.3° Celsius. Avantipura shivered at a low of 0.2° Celsius.

The Met Department has predicted a thick blanket of fog and haze in the morning hours with a visibility of 2 km up to 12 noon in the next 24 hours. It was also disclosed that the chill in the weather might continue for another three to four days, bringing mercury down at many places, the Met Department sources added.