Cold tightens its grip in north India

Cold conditions intensified in parts of north India on Friday and dense fog engulfed many states as mercury plummeted by up to three notches in Punjab even as Leh and Kargil districts were freezing below minus 18 degrees Celsius.

Cold conditions intensified in parts of north India on Friday and dense fog engulfed many states as mercury plummeted by up to three notches in Punjab even as Leh and Kargil districts were freezing below minus 18 degrees Celsius.

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Foggy conditions prevailed in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

Most parts of Jammu and Kashmir continued to reel under intense cold as night temperature dropped further owing to clear skies.

In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Amritsar was coldest with a low of 1.4 degrees, three notches below normal.

While Rohtak shivered at a low of 3.2 degrees, three notches below normal, Ambala registered 3.8 degrees, also three units below normal.

The ongoing spell of cold conditions have so far claimed three lives, officials in Punjab said.

Normal life was affected as mercury dipped to one degree at the hill resort of Mount Abu in Rajasthan on Thursday night.

The national capital continued to reel under cold wave even as the mercury rose slightly to settle at 7.4 degrees. The minimum temperature on Thursday was 6.1 degrees, which was the season’s lowest so far.