Chandigarh, Jan 22: The Meteorological Department has reported a significant drop in temperatures across the plains of Punjab and Haryana, with Hoshiarpur witnessing a minimum of 3.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday. This mark represents the lowest temperature recorded in Punjab during the current spell.
Amritsar followed closely behind the state’s coldest point, recording a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius. The persistent cold has affected daily schedules, as towns like Ludhiana and Patiala saw their minimums settle at 4.4 degrees and 5.1 degrees Celsius. Gurdaspur and Bathinda also reported a chilly 5 degrees Celsius.
A weather analyst said that the clear skies at night have contributed to the rapid cooling of the earth’s surface. The official mentioned that these conditions are expected to prevail for the coming days.
In the neighboring state of Haryana, the weather remained equally unforgiving. Bhiwani was reported as the coldest district in the state with a low of 3.5 degrees Celsius. Karnal and Hisar also faced the brunt of the weather, recording 4.4 degrees and 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh residents woke up to a frosty morning as the capital recorded 4.8 degrees Celsius. The MeT department noted that while the sun provided some relief during the day, the nights continue to see a sharp decline in mercury.
“We are monitoring the wind patterns closely, as the cold wave is currently steady across the rural and urban pockets of both states,” a department representative said.
Ambala and Gurugram recorded minimum temperatures of 6.7 degrees and 7.8 degrees Celsius, while Narnaul stayed at 6 degrees Celsius.
