An aerial view of snow-covered Shimla
Cold wave continued to prevail in north India as snowfall and rain lashed several parts of the region bringing down temperatures and affecting normal life.
Manali and parts of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh were disconnected due to heavy snowfall while Jammu and Kashmir continued to reel under intense cold conditions.
Delhiites woke up to shallow fog in the morning as the national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 19.6 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal, and minimum of 7.2 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal.
Snowfall and rains hit many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, where Pahalgam received 12.3 cm of snow and Qazigund 3.4 cm.
Summer capital Srinagar received snowfall and rains equivalent to 4 mm of rainfall, as the city registered a minimum temperature of 0.3 degrees Celsius.
Leh town, in Ladakh region, registered a decline of almost four degrees from the previous night as mercury settled at a low of minus 10.7 degrees Celsius.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.8 degrees Celsius, which was over a degree lower than the previous night.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded in Shimla as Himachal Pradesh received heavy snowfall and rains, dipping the temperatures to the lowest in many parts of the state.
Shimla received 11 cm of snowfall making it the coldest night as mercury dipped to minus 2.4 degrees Celsius.
Supply of basic commodities was cut off and schools were declared closed in Shimla for tomorrow.
The Hinduatan-Tibet National highway was closed beyond Shimla, and parts of Kinnaur were cut off due to heavy snow.
The tourist resort of Manali was totally disconnected after it received 15 cm of snowfall.
Bijahi recorded the heaviest snowfall at 20 cm followed by Bharmaur 15 cm, Kalpa 14 cm, and Mashobra 13 cm.
Solan received a maximum of 19 mm rainfall followed by Mandi 18 mm, Bhuntar and Jogindernagar 16 mm, Karsog and Kasauli 15 mm, Gaggal 14mm, Bilaspur and Dharamsala 9 mm each.
Bharmaur recorded the lowest temperature at minus 17 degrees Celsius followed by Keylong and Kalpa minus 14 and minus 8.8, and Manali minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Cold conditions prevailed in most parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh with the minimum temperature dipping five degrees below normal in some areas even as the sun shone brightly after widespread rains in the past few days.
Amritsar was coldest in the region with a low of 3.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Hisar at 4.8 degrees Celsius and Chandigarh 5.8 degrees Celsius, a MeT official said.
Besides, some parts of the region, including Chandigarh (0.7 mm), Ludhiana (12.2 mm), Adampur (12 mm), and others received rains overnight.
Night temperatures fell markedly in several districts of Rajasthan giving no respite to residents.
Mount Abu was the coldest place with a minimum of 2.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees down from the previous night, while capital Jaipur recorded 10.7 degrees Celsius.