Winter grips Punjab, temp falls below 5 degrees in 24 hrs

As winter tightens its grip on the northern plains, Punjab emerges as the coldest state, experiencing record-low temperatures below 5°C. The Mercury has dropped significantly, especially in the northern parts of Punjab along the foothills and the Majha region, between rivers Ravi and Beas. Cities like Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran have recorded the coldest temperatures this season, with Pathankot and Amritsar hitting 5°C and 4.7°C, respectively. Jalandhar in the Doaba region and Bhatinda in Malwa also witnessed a substantial drop, reaching 4.4°C and 5°C, respectively. Although a feeble western disturbance has passed through the northern mountains, bringing colder air, marginal changes are expected in the next 2-3 days. The weather will maintain a status quo with scattered shallow fog, chilly mornings, and comfortable day temperatures in the low twenties. Another western disturbance is forecasted to approach the region on December 16, potentially bringing relief to the night temperatures on December 16th and 17th. However, the clearance of the system may usher in another spell of low single-digit temperatures, particularly impacting Majha and Doaba regions with bitter freezing conditions.