SRINAGAR: The cold wave in Kashmir intensified as most places in the valley recorded extreme subzero temperatures, officials said here on Monday.

The minimum plunged 7.4 degrees below freezing point in Pulwama and Shopian towns in south Kashmir on Sunday night, the officials said.

The twin towns in south Kashmir were the coldest recorded places in the valley.

Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, dropping from previous night's minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.9 degrees Celsius.

They said Qazigund town in south Kashmir recorded a low of 5.2 degrees Celsius and the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature in Kokernag town settled at minus 2.6 degrees Celsius and in Kupwara at minus 6 degrees Celsius.

A dry and largely snowless winter in Kashmir has resulted in freezing nights and warmer than usual days as Srinagar day temperatures were over eight degrees above the normal temperature for this time of the year, officials said here.

Kashmir has been going through a prolonged dry spell and a 79 per cent deficit in rainfall was recorded for December while there has been no precipitation in most parts of the valley in the first three weeks of January.
There has been no snowfall in most plain areas of Kashmir, while the upper reaches of the valley have received lesser than usual amount of snow.

The weather office, however, has forecast the possibility of light snowfall at some places in the valley from January 25 to January 31.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of "Chilla-i-Kalan", a 40-day harsh winter period when a cold wave sweeps the region and temperatures drop considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies as well as water in pipes.

The chances of snowfall are the highest during this period and most areas, particularly the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.

'Chilla-i-Kalan' will end on January 31.

However, the cold conditions will continue after that with a 20-day 'Chilla-i-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day 'Chilla-i-Bachha' (baby cold).

Chilly weather in Rajasthan continues, Fatehpur coldest at 1.6 degree Celsius

Parts of Rajasthan continued to witness chilly weather and dense fog with Fatehpur town recorded to be the coldest in the state, according to the meteorological department.

Fatehpur in Sikar district recorded a low of 1.6 degree Celsius followed by Alwar where the night temperature was 2.8 degrees Celsius.

Several places recorded minimum temperatures under 6 degrees Celsius, as per the weather bulletin.

Karauli recorded a minimum temperature of 3.3 degrees Celsius, Churu recorded 3.7 degrees Celsius, Pilani 3.6 degrees Celsius, Bhilwara 4 degrees Celsius, Anta (Baran) 4.4 degrees Celsius, Sikar city 4.5 degrees Celsius, Ganganagar 5 degrees Celsius, Chittorgarh and Bikaner 5.5 degrees Celsius, Sangaria (Hanumangarh) 5.6 degrees Celsius, Jalore 5.8 degrees Celsius and Dabok (Udaipur) 5.9 degrees Celsius, according to a Met report.

Dense fog was witnessed in some parts of the state, the weather office said.

Weather conditions would remain the same for the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.

Cold conditions continued unabated in Punjab and Haryana on Monday, with temperatures hovering below normal at several places.

The Met office in Chandigarh said Bathinda in Punjab reeled from severe cold, recording a low of 4 degrees Celsius.

Gurdaspur also experienced a cold night, recording a minimum temperature of 4.5 degrees Celsius.

The night temperature in Faridkot was recorded at 5 degrees Celsius, followed by Ludhiana at 5.6 degrees and Patiala at 5.8 degrees.

Amritsar registered a night temperature of 7 degrees Celsius.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, reeled from the severe cold with the minimum temperature being recorded at 6.5 degrees Celsius.

In Haryana, a cold wave swept several places, including Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani and Narnaul.

While Sirsa and Fatehabad recorded lows of 4.6 degrees Celsius each, the minimum temperatures in Hisar and Bhiwani were identical at 4.9 degrees.

Narnaul also experienced a cold night, recording a low of 5 degrees Celsius.

Karnal recorded a minimum temperature of 6.8 degrees Celsius, Rohtak 6.2 degrees and Ambala 6.1 degrees.

The winter chill abated slightly in Delhi on Monday, with the minimum temperature climbing to 6.1 degrees Celsius from 4.8 degrees the previous day, the weather office said.

The minimum temperature was a notch below normal, it added.

The Met office has predicted mainly clear skies during the day.

There is a possibility of the skies turning partly cloudy towards the afternoon or the evening.

The maximum temperature is expected to settle at 17 degrees Celsius.

According to official Indian Railways data, 23 Delhi-bound trains were running late due to dense fog that enveloped parts of northern India.