Dense fog in Punjab, Haryana for third day throws life out of gear

Visibility was below 25 metres at several places, including Patiala, Amritsar and Ambala; fog has been forming as there is no wind and high humidity and low temperature continues to persist

Dense fog enveloped Punjab, Haryana and their common capital of Chandigarh for the third day with visibility dropping to less than 25 metres in several parts on Saturday morning, the India Meteorological Department said and added that chances of fog are likely to reduce from Sunday.

More than two dozen trains in the Ferozepur railway division were either rescheduled or cancelled due to the fog. (Vipin Kumar/HT)

Visibility was below 25 metres at several places, including Patiala, Amritsar and Ambala.

IMD officials said the dense fog has been forming as there is no wind and high humidity and low temperature continues to persist. The fog, however, keeps the temperature from falling too low and the minimum temperature went up from 8°C on Friday to 8.9°C on Saturday. It was the lowest at Bhiwani in Haryana at 6.7°C and in Punjab at Ballowal Saunkhri in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar at 5.6°C.

In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 8.8°C, Ludhiana9.2 °C and Patiala 8.9°C.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a minimum of 9.1°C and Hisar 7.7°C. Karnal recorded a low of 9.6°C, Rohtak 10.6°C and Sirsa 9.2°C.

More than two dozen trains in the Ferozepur railway division were either rescheduled or cancelled due to the fog.

The morning Kalka-Shatabdi Express from Chandigarh to New Delhi was running an hour late, while the morning Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi to Chandigarh was half an hour behind schedule.

A daily weather update by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) said that the minimum temperature of Bathinda is likely to hover between 7°C and 9°C over the next four days.

Dry conditions will persist in the region till January 3.

The cold and foggy conditions are good for the wheat crop.