Amid cold wave-like conditions in several regions of the country, especially the north and north-western regions, the Met on Monday forecast no change in minimum temperatures this week.
On Monday, while the national capital woke up to a cold morning, recording five degrees Celsius minimum temperature -- two notches below the season's average, the Kashmir valley shivered at minus 6.1 degrees, followed by Leh at minus 17.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature will remain constant over the next few days across northern region -- Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal; north-west region -- Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh; central region -- Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and parts of Maharashtra; eastern region that includes Bihar and parts of West Bengal; and the entire north-eastern region.
"The minimum temperatures are expected to remain the same for the next four to five days... The wind speed would remain moderate at 10 to 15 kmph across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, western UP and northern Rajasthan," said an official at IMD.
The minimum temperature across Delhi is also expected to hover around five degrees on Tuesday.
"As the night sky is likely to be clear, the minimum temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir will drop further during the next 48 hours (Tuesday and Wednesday)," a Met official said.
The minimum temperature was minus 8.1 degrees in Pahalgam and minus 10.5 in Gulmarg.
Jammu city recorded 4.3 degrees, Katra five, Batote 1.6, Banihal 0.8, Bhaderwah minus 0.8 and Udhampur zero degree Celsius.
Cold wave conditions continued across Punjab and Haryana on Monday with some places recording near-freezing temperatures.
Narnaul in Haryana and Adampur in Punjab recorded minimum temperatures of 0.5 degrees and 0.7 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Monday, the Met Department officials said.
However, there was some relief at many places from the dense fog that had engulfed the region over the past few days.
The Haryana government on Sunday announced that schools in the state would remain closed till January 14 in view of the severe cold wave conditions.
In Punjab, holy city Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of three degrees, while industrial hub Ludhiana saw a low of 5.7 degrees. Chandigarh recorded a minimum temperature of 4.7 degrees Celsius.
--IANS
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