Chandigarh, Jan 14: Extreme winter conditions gripped Punjab on Wednesday morning, with several districts reporting temperatures nearly four notches below the seasonal average. Bathinda and Faridkot shared the title for the coldest spots in the state, both recording a low of 3.2 degrees Celsius as the cold wave showed no signs of receding.
The weather department confirmed that the drop in mercury was consistent across the border, noting that the mercury settled at a low of 3.2 degrees Celsius in Bathinda and Faridkot. These freezing conditions have been compounded by persistent morning fog, which has slowed down traffic and daily activity in the rural belts.
Other areas in the state felt the impact of the Arctic-like air, with Gurdaspur recording 3.5 degrees Celsius and the holy city of Amritsar dropping to 4.3 degrees Celsius. Industrial hubs like Ludhiana and Patiala were not far behind, maintaining minimums of 5.4 and 4.4 degrees Celsius.
In Chandigarh, where the temperature was three notches below normal, the local weather office mentioned that the chill remains consistent with the current atmospheric pattern affecting the entire Northwest region. The meteorological department also noted that these temperatures were up to 4 degrees below normal in most Punjab districts, suggesting that the harsh winter spell is likely to persist for the coming days.
