Cold wave abates in north India

Intense cold wave conditions sweeping north India for most part of this month abated on Tuesday, as minimum temperatures at several places in the region rose a few degrees above normal.

Amritsar, where the low temperatures had been hovering around the one degree celsius mark recorded a minimum of 4 C, while Ludhiana and Patiala also registered above normal minimums at 6.9 C and 6.8 C, respectively, the metereological office said.

The mercury also witnessed a slight increase in Chandigarh, which recorded a low of 7.4 C. Hisar in Haryana recorded a five degrees above normal low at 9.8 C.

Srinagar, where the minimum had been hovering three to five degrees below the freezing point, on Tuesday recorded a low of 1.5 C, up three degrees. Jammu also had a normal minimum at 6.5 C.

Cold wave conditions also abated at many places in Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, which registered a low of 7.6 C, five degrees above normal. Sundernagar and Bhuntar, where the mercury had been settling around the freezing point, recorded respective lows of 5.6 C and 4 C, both up by four degrees.

The fog, which had been playing spoilsport for the past few days, has also lifted at most places and visibility improved considerably as a result.

Visibility at Halwara was 500m, Ambala 600m, Sirsawa 200m, Sirsa 800m and Hindon 400m.

In Kashmir, residents got respite from severe cold wave conditions as the night temperature showed an upward trend, bringing water to frozen taps.

The minimum temperature recorded was 1.5 degree celsius - three degrees above normal - as against Monday's minimum of minus 4.1 degree, officials of the met department said.

The rise in temperature came as a relief to people as frozen taps started supplying water after many days.

However, there were chances of rain and snow later on Tuesday with the sky being cloudy, the met office said.

The valley has been gripped by a severe cold wave for the past seven weeks, with temperatures dipping below the freezing point as early as November 15 this year.