Punjab
Himachal Pradesh continued to shiver under sub-zero temperatures with the mercury plummeting further on Tuesday even as cold day conditions with pockets of fog prevailed in the plains of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
While it was a bright day in the Kashmir Valley, the sun appeared after the fog cleared up around noon in Jammu and the plains.
MINUS 16.4°C AT KEYLONG
In Himachal, the administrative centre of Lahaul-Spiti district at Keylong was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 16.4 degrees Celsius. The maximum was zero.
Shimla meteorological centre director Manmohan Singh said that weather will remain dry in the state till Wednesday. There is a possibility of snow and rains across the state as a fresh western disturbance becomes active on December 19.
Though the maximum temperatures in Himachal increased by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in the past 24 hours, the minimum temperatures were 4 to 5 degrees Celsius below normal.
Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a minimum of minus 5 degrees, while the maximum temperature was 2.3 degrees Celsius. The hill resort of Kufri recorded a low of minus 1 degree and a high of 4.9 degrees Celsius.
The state capital of Shimla recorded a low of 2.5 and a high of 11.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperatures in hill stations of Manali, Dharamshala and Dalhousie were minus 2.8, 2.6 and 3.1 degrees Celsius, respectively. The maximum temperature in the three towns was 9.2 degrees, 10.6 and 6.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Punjab is set to witness dense fog amid an intensified cold wave over the next two days.
According to Raj Kumar Pal of the agro-meteorology centre of Punjab Agricultural University’s regional research centre in Bathinda, the maximum temperature is expected to be 14 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will dip to six degrees Celsius. There will be a short window of sunshine.
Amritsar was equally cold at 7 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature recorded was 14 degrees Celsius.
MERCURY TO DIP FURTHER
Residents of Haryana got a little relief from the cold after the sun appeared around Tuesday noon. The day temperature in the state hovered between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius.
Hisar saw a low of 8.4 degrees, Sirsa 7.3, Rohtak 8.8 and Bhiwani 8.7 degrees Celsius.
The meteorological department at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU) said the cold wave will intensify between December 19 and 22 with moderate rain and thundershower forecast in the state.
“With rain, the minimum temperature may drop sharply but it will benefit farmers. Commuters will face a tough time as it will turn foggy,” said ML Khichar, the head of department, meteorology and agriculture.
FARMERS SEEK RELIEF
Farmers of wheat, mustard and barley sought compensation for the damage caused to the crops due to the hailstorm last week. Congress leader Kiran Chaudhary visited fields to check the condition of their crop and also urged the government to conduct a special girdawari (assessment).
A farmer Sheo Naryana of Surpura Kalan village of Bhiwani said, “Rain is good for the farmers as the need of watering the fields reduces, but hailstorm destroys standing crop and damages roots of the crop that we just sowed. We have asked the administration to send agriculture department officials to assess the damage so that compensation can be announced.”
