Cold wave grips Punjab, Bathinda coldest at 4°C

Cold wave intensified on Thursday in Punjab and neighbouring Haryana as the minimum and maximum temperatures plummeted further in the two states.

Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab, recording a minimum of 4 degrees Celsius, followed by Faridkot (4.5), Ludhiana (6.6), Patiala (6.4), Halwara (5.8), Adampur (6.8), Pathankot (6.4) and Amritsar (6.5).

In Haryana, Narnaul was the coldest as the minimum dropped to 2.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Hisar (3.3), Rohtak (3.4) Karnal (6), Bhiwani (4.8), Sirsa (4.3) and Ambala (5.3), a meteorological department official said.

Even the maximum temperature hovering around six-nine notches was below average at most places in both the states, including Chandigarh.

The meteorological office here said most parts in the two states were engulfed by a thick blanket of fog in the morning. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, saw a low of 6.5 degrees Celsius, a slight fall from Wednesday’s 6.9 degree temperature.

“Dense fog is likely to engulf the plains of the region around December 28. However, visibility is likely to improve around December 31, but cold wave conditions will continue to prevail,” he said. Agencies