New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Cold wave conditions prevailed across northern states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh on Monday, though there was a slight rise in temperatures across Kashmir, Rajasthan
and some other areas.
In the national capital Delhi, a blanket of smog persisted on Monday morning, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 417, falling in the 'severe' category.
Kashmir Valley, currently in the midst of Chilla-i-Kalan, or 40 days of extreme cold, got some respite as minimum temperatures rose by a couple of degrees.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, up from minus 4.7 degrees Celsius the night before.
The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district was the coldest in the Valley, registering a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius.
Shopian and Pulwama towns in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.7 degrees and minus 5.1 degrees Celsius respectively. Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in the popular ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district settled at a low of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund, the Valley's gateway town, settled at minus 2.4 degrees Celsius.
Cold wave conditions prevailed in many places in Punjab and Haryana as well.
In Punjab, Amritsar was the coldest, recording a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal.
Faridkot recorded a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 4.6 degrees, Pathankot 4.7 degrees, Ferozepur 5.7 degrees, Hoshiarpur 5.9 degrees, Patiala 6.5 degrees and Gurdaspur 6.8 degrees.
In Haryana, Bhiwani was the coldest, with the minimum temperature recorded at 3 degrees Celsius. Gurugram recorded a low of 5.5 degrees Celsius, Narnaul 6 degrees, Karnal 6.4 degrees and Ambala 7.8 degrees.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also experienced a cold night with the minimum temperature settling at 6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.
Meanwhile, the meteorological centre in Shimla predicted that cold wave conditions are likely to persist in Himachal Pradesh.
The Met centre has issued a yellow alert for severe cold in isolated areas in five districts -- Kangra, Mandi, Una, Bilaspur and Hamirpur -- for Tuesday.
According to the Met office, while the weather will remain dry till Wednesday, the state is likely to witness a fresh spell of snowfall and rain from Thursday to Saturday as a result of another intense western disturbance in quick succession, which is likely to affect Northwest India Wednesday onwards.
The department has also issued a yellow alert for several districts on Thursday and Friday, warning of heavy snowfall and rain in isolated places across the state.
"The weather was mostly dry across the state during the past 24 hours with cold wave conditions observed in Hamirpur, Kangra and Mandi. The lowest temperature in the state was minus 7.1 degrees Celcius, recorded in Tabo village in Lahaul and Spiti district," a Met official said.
Rajasthan has begun to see a rise in temperatures, with most cities now recording minimum temperatures above 10 degrees.
The state capital, Jaipur, recorded a minimum temperature of 13.7 degrees Celsius on Monday morning.
Among the places where the minimum temperature was below 10 degrees Celsius, Alwar recorded 7.2 degrees, Sirohi 8.1 degrees, unkaransar and Sriganganagar 8.3 degrees each, Anta 9 degrees, Bikaner 9.2 degrees, and Banasthali 9.3 degrees.
Nagaur recorded the coldest temperature at 7 degrees Celsius.
The national capital Delhi was shrouded by a blanket of smog on Monday morning, with the average AQI settling at 417 in the 'severe' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's Sameer app.
The air quality was 'severe' (an AQI of 401-500) at 25 stations, while it was 'very poor' (301-400) at 14 stations.
Wazirpur, which recorded an AQI of 474, had the worst air quality among all stations.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in the 'severe' to 'very poor' categories for the next two days. The outlook for the subsequent six days also states that the air quality is likely to be in the 'very poor' band. PTI COR SUN AG MIJ VBH RUK
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