New Delhi, Dec. 15: Cold wave conditions continued in parts of north India today with it claiming two lives in Uttar Pradesh, even as Bihar and the national capital experienced pleasant weather.
The national capital witnessed a pleasant day with the city recording a minimum of 10.4 degrees, while the maximum temperature settled at 24.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average.
However, shallow foggy conditions in the morning led to cancellation of 13 trains. The flight operation remained normal at IGI airport.
Two persons, including a woman, died allegedly due to cold in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh while shallow to moderate fog continued at a few places in the state.
According to MeT, night temperature fell in Agra division and was appreciably below normal in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, and remained normal in remaining divisions of Uttar Pradesh.
Fog also played spoilsport in parts of Punjab and Haryana, disrupting the normal life even as minimum temperatures hovered above normal levels in the region.
Amritsar was the coldest place in the two states registering 6.8 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh settled at 9.9 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, whereas the minimum temperature at Karnal was 10 degrees Celsius.
Rail, road and air traffic were affected due to poor visibility in the states, officials said.
The northern state of Rajasthan also reeled under cold wave conditions with the minimum temperature dipping to 6.9 degrees Celsius. The capital city of Jaipur recorded a minimum of 11.2 degrees Celsius, a fall by 3.5 degrees from yesterday.
The MeT said a further dip in temperature is predicted in the state in next 24 hours.
Bihar, meanwhile, experienced a warm day with the sun shining bright as both maximum and minimum temperatures increased.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said global warming was responsible for milder winter in the northern parts this season.
“With temperatures being recorded above normal levels in several parts of north India, global warming is one of the major reasons for a milder winter this season,” it said.
Intense cold wave conditions continue in HP
Intense cold wave sweeping the hills and valleys of Himachal Pradesh continued unabated today with minimum temperatures hovering around freezing point at several places in the state.
The high-altitude tribal areas groaned under biting cold wave conditions with mercury settling between minus eight and minus 13 degrees Celsius.
Natural water sources in high altitude tribal areas like lakes, springs, rivulets, tributaries of major rivers and 70-km stretch of Chandrabhaga river remained frozen, drastically reducing discharge of water in snowfed Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers, affecting hydropower generation.
Prolonged dry spell with 93 per cent rain deficit from October 1 and December 15 continues in the region, adding to anxiety of farmers.
The rainfall eluded the region despite the cloudy sky today.
Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recorded minimum temperature at minus 5.1 degrees Celsius, while key tourist resort of Manali shivered at zero degrees Celsius and Kalpa and Bhuntar recorded a low of 1.0 degrees Celsius, followed by Solan and Sundernagar each 2.5 degrees Celsius, Palampur 4.5 degrees Celsius, Shimla 5.6 degrees Celsius, Una 6.0 degrees Celsius, Nahan 8.5 degrees Celsius and Dharamsala 10.0 degrees Celsius.
The day temperatures also dropped marginally and Una, which was hottest in the region, recorded maximum temperature at 22.0 degrees Celsius, a drop of three degrees since yesterday.
Solan recorded a high of 20.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Dharamshala 18.2 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar 17.6 degrees Celsius, Nahan 16.9 degrees Celsius, Bhuntar 16.6 degrees Celsius, Shimla 15.6 degrees Celsius, Manali 14.0 degrees Celsius and Kalpa 12.4 degrees Celsius.
The farmers are a worried lot as continued dry spell would be harmful for Rabi crop, especially wheat.
About 80 per cent Rabi sowing has been completed and in case the rains get further delayed, crop prospects would be badly hit, said sources in the Agriculture Department.
Meanwhile, the local MeT department has predicted dry weather in the region over the next six days.
