North India hit by biting cold, Delhi air quality worse

New Delhi/Srinagar: Delhiites woke to a chilly morning with the minimum temperature settling at 8ºC, the Kashmir Valley shivered under sub-zero temperatures while Punjab and Haryana also saw the mercury dip as large parts of north India experienced biting cold. A blanket of haze again enveloped Delhi on Sunday.

The India Meteorological Department said pollution levels have spiked due to calm conditions, marked by low wind speed and moisture. The IMD has forecast possibility of light rains on December 5 and 6.

Delhi recorded a high of 23.9ºC and a low of 8 ºC, a MeT department official said.

Meanwhile, Adampur in Punjab recorded a biting 4.9ºC minimum temperature as visibility dropped slightly at few places in the state and neighbouring Haryana due to shallow fog and mist.

Among other places in Punjab, Amritsar and Ludhiana, experienced a cold night recording respective lows of 6.6 and 7.2ºC, a Meteorological Depar-tment official said here. Patiala, too, was cold at 8.5ºC while Bathinda registered a low of 8.1ºC.