New Delhi, Dec. 23 (IANS): Cold wave continued to grip northern parts of the country and dense fog engulfed the Indo-Gangetic plains, including Delhi, for the fifth consecutive day on Friday.
According to officials, in Delhi a minimum temperature of 7.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Palam; Lodhi Road had 7.3, Aya Nagar- 5.6; Ridge (Civil lines)- 5.3, Najafgarh - 9.1 while Pitampura, Akshardham's Sports Complex, Mayur Vihar recorded a minimum temperature of 10, 10, and 8.7 degrees Celsius.
"Dense to Very Dense Fog conditions are likely to continue over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh during next 48 hours and decrease in intensity & spread thereafter," tweeted the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Around 20 trains were delayed due to the fog and low visibility.
According to an IMD official, due to moisture and light winds at lower tropospheric levels over Indo-Gangetic plains, very dense fog in many/most pockets is very likely over Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in night/morning hours during the next 48 hours.
"Dense fog in isolated pockets is also very likely over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, north Rajasthan, Bihar, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Tirpura for the next 2-3 days," said the official.
A drop in temperature has been also recorded in states of North India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar.
"Due to dry north/northwesterly winds from Himalayas over plains of northwest India, cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan during December 24 to 26," said the official.
"Cold day to severe cold day conditions are also very likely over Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the next two days," predicted the IMD.
Intense cold wave swept Ladakh and Kashmir as the 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as 'Chillai Kalan' entered its third day.
In the J&K union territory, Srinagar had minus 4.8, Jammu had 6.3 degree Celsius.
In Ladakh region, Kargil had minus 13.1 and Leh minus 13.8 as the minimum temperature.