North India continues to reel under cold wave

NO 'WHITE CHRISTMAS' IN SRINAGAR, SHIMLA

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NEW DELHI: North India continued to face intense cold wave conditions on Wednesday, with temperatures plummeting to sub-zero levels in many regions. Despite the chilly weather, tourists flocking to popular hill stations like Srinagar and Shimla were left disappointed, as their hopes of a "white Christmas" remained unfulfilled.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar recorded a bone-chilling low of minus 7.3 degrees Celsius. The situation was even colder in Himachal Pradesh, where Tabo, located in the Lahaul and Spiti district, emerged as the coldest place, recording an extreme night temperature of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, cold weather conditions persisted across other parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, where temperatures were notably low.

Delhi, though not as cold as the northern hill stations, recorded a maximum temperature of 22.4 degrees Celsius on Christmas Day, which was two notches above the season's average. However, the national capital's minimum temperature dropped to 8.4 degrees Celsius, which was 1.5 degrees below normal. The cooler mornings and relatively milder afternoons contributed to the unseasonably cold conditions, but residents of Delhi were fortunate to avoid the extreme cold affecting the northern regions.