Punjab, Haryana in grip of severe cold, Karnal records low of 2.8°C

Maximum temperatures have dropped sharply during the past several days, further intensifying the cold conditions

The ongoing cold wave sweeping Haryana and Punjab showed no signs of abating, with minimum temperatures hovering below normal at many places on Tuesday.

Students participating in the rehearsal for the Republic Day celebrations at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sports Stadium in Bathinda on a cold Tuesday morning. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Karnal, with a bone-chilling minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees Celsius, was the coldest place in Haryana, the meteorological department said.

Among other places in the state, Fatehabad reeled at a low of 4.6 degrees Celsius, while Ambala registered a minimum of 4.6 degrees and Bhiwani 4.8 degrees.

Sirsa recorded a night temperature of 5.4 degrees Celsius, while Hisar and Narnaul each recorded lows of 6 degrees.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also recorded a minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius. Three flights departing from Chandigarh to Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad were cancelled on Tuesday morning due to poor visibility.

According to the MeT office, Patiala was the coldest place in Punjab with a night temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius.

Gurdaspur recorded a low of 4 degrees Celsius, while Bathinda shivered at 4.2 degrees.

The minimum temperature in Faridkot was at 5.2 degrees Celsius.

Amritsar and Ludhiana registered respective minimum temperatures of 6.7 degrees Celsius and 6.3 degrees.

Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have been in the grip of severe cold weather for the past three weeks. The maximum temperatures have also dropped sharply during the past several days, further intensifying the cold conditions.