Several parts of Himachal Pradesh also experienced an intensified cold wave. (File)
A cold wave swept through North India today morning, with the minimum temperature dropping to 3.6 degrees Celsius in New Delhi, the lowest this winter, the Met office said. "The minimum temperature was recorded at 3.6 degree Celsius, four notches below the season's average. It is the lowest temperature recorded so far this year," it said.
Several parts of Himachal Pradesh also experienced an intensified cold wave, and the lowest temperature was recorded in Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong at minus 11.1 degrees Celsius. Besides Manali, Solan, Chamba, Kalpa, Seobagh, Sundernagar and Bhuntar were shivering at sub zero level during the period, Director of the MeT Centre, Shimla, Manmohan Singh said.
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The cold wave in Kashmir has resulted in freezing of some water bodies, including the fringes of Dal Lake in Srinagar, and residential water supply pipes in Srinagar and other towns of the Valley.
The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified today as the mercury stayed several degrees below the freezing point, resulting in frozen water bodies and water supply lines in several residential areas.
Leh town in Ladakh region recorded the lowest temperature this winter as mercury plummeted to minus 17.1C last night, a Met department official said. The nearby Kargil recorded a low of minus 14.4C, he said.
Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- which recorded the coldest night in 11 years on Monday at minus 6.8C, experienced a similar minimum temperature last night at minus 6.7C, the official said.
The meterological department said cold wave conditions are likely to expand over some parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh from December 26 onwards.
The IMD said that northerly/northwesterly light to moderate winds is likely to prevail over the northern plains during next two to three days.
"Northerly/northwesterly light to moderate winds is likely to prevail over northern plains during next two to three days. Due to remnant moisture over parts of northwest India shallow to moderate fog likely over some parts of northwest India during next 24 hours. Minimum temperatures very likely to fall by two to three Degrees Celsius over many parts of northwest and central India during next two to three days," the IMD said in a bulletin.
According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 385 till 8 am, which fall in the 'very poor' category. The AQI showed marginal improvement after being in the 'severe' category for a couple of days owing to increased wind speed.
The minimum temperature in Himachal Pradesh's Kalpa was recorded at minus 4 degrees Celsius, Manali at minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, Seobagh at minus 2.7, Sundernagar at minus 1.3, Bhuntar at minus 1, Solan at minus 0.7 and Chamba at minus 0.4 degree Celsius, Director of the MeT Centre, Shimla, Manmohan Singh said.
The minimum temperature in Shimla was 2.7 degrees Celsius and in Dalhousie it was 1.6 degrees Celsius.
Delhi has been reeling under a cold wave for the past a few days. The weather department has predicted clear skies throughout the day and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 20 degrees Celsius.
According to the Met department, humidity level recorded at 8.30 am was 97 per cent today. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature had settled at 5.0 degrees Celsius.