Cold conditions sweep Punjab, Haryana; Amritsar reels at minus 0.5 degree Celsius

The minimum temperature in most parts of east India and Maharashtra may also drop by two to three degrees Celsius over the next four days.

Severe cold swept Punjab and Haryana early on Sunday, with Amritsar reeling at a minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius.

According to the meteorological department officials here, the night temperatures hovered well below normal limits at most places in the two states. They said moderate fog was reported from Amritsar and Ludhiana in the morning.

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Amritsar's minimum temperature settled four notches below normal limits. The other places in Punjab which reeled under piercing cold weather conditions included Halwara, which recorded a low of 0.0 degrees Celsius; Bathinda, that saw a low of 0.1 degrees Celsius; Faridkot, where the minimum temperature settled at 1 degrees Celsius and Pathankot, which recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Ludhiana (5.1 degrees Celsius), Patiala (4.6 degrees Celsius) and Gurdaspur (2.4 degrees Celsius) also experienced a cold night. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 3.2 degrees Celsius, down four notches from normal.

In Haryana, Sirsa was the coldest place recording a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius. Ambala (4.9 degrees Celsius), Hisar (2 degrees Celsius), Narnaul (1.2 degrees Celsius), Rohtak (3.8 degrees Celsius), also reeled under biting cold while Gurugram and Bhiwani recorded respective minimums of 7.4 degrees and 5.1 degrees Celsius.