Residents of Punjab and Haryana continued to shiver through the ongoing cold wave on Lohri, with Ballowal Saunkhri in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar recording a bone-chilling minimum temperature of 0°C. This reading marked the coldest spot across the plains of India, highlighting the severe weather conditions gripping the region.
Punjab Battles Freezing Temperatures
Several cities in Punjab reported alarmingly low temperatures. Bathinda recorded 1.6°C, while Faridkot saw 2°C. Anandpur Sahib registered 2.4°C, and Gurdaspur noted 2.5°C. Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana both experienced 2.6°C. These figures represent a significant departure from normal, with minimum temperatures dropping by up to 3.6°C below average.
Haryana Also Feels the Chill
Haryana faced similar frigid conditions, with temperatures starting from 1.4°C in many areas. The departure from normal reached up to 4.8°C. Sonipat emerged as the coldest location in the state with a minimum of 1.4°C. Hisar followed closely at 1.5°C, while Narnaul recorded 1.8°C. Mahendragarh saw 2°C, Jind 2.5°C, and Panipat and Sirsa both reported 2.7°C. Karnal registered 2.8°C.
Chandigarh, the shared capital, recorded a minimum temperature of 2.8°C, which was 4.1°C below the normal level. Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed across many parts of Punjab and Haryana, extending into some areas of Himachal Pradesh.
Dense Fog Worsens Visibility Issues
Dense to very dense fog enveloped numerous parts of Punjab and some sections of Haryana, severely impacting visibility. In Punjab, Amritsar reported zero visibility, while Ballowal recorded 10 metres. Ludhiana had 20 metres, Patiala 40 metres, and Bathinda and Faridkot both saw 50 metres. Gurdaspur experienced 100 metres of visibility.
Haryana faced similar challenges with Ambala reporting zero visibility. Bhiwani recorded 5 metres, and Hisar and Karnal both had 20 metres. Chandigarh noted 40 metres of visibility, adding to the hazardous conditions.
IMD Predicts Continued Severe Weather
The India Meteorological Department issued forecasts indicating that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to persist in morning hours over isolated or some pockets of Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab until January 15. Dense fog may continue in isolated pockets until January 20.
Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are expected in some or many parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on January 15. Isolated pockets may experience cold wave conditions on January 16.
Additionally, light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall or snowfall is likely over Himachal Pradesh from January 16 to January 19. Isolated rainfall may occur over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on January 18 and January 19.
Temperature Trends Show Further Drops
Compared to Monday, Punjab recorded a fall of 0.1°C in average minimum temperature by Tuesday morning. The state's average minimum temperature stood 2.5°C below normal. Ballowal Saunkhri maintained its position as the coldest spot in Punjab with 0.0°C.
In Haryana, the average minimum temperature dropped by 0.2°C from Monday to Tuesday morning. The state's average minimum temperature was 3.5°C below normal. Sonepat recorded the lowest minimum temperature in Haryana at 1.4°C.
The combination of freezing temperatures and dense fog continues to pose significant challenges for daily life in these northern states, with authorities urging residents to take necessary precautions against the harsh winter conditions.
