Cold wave continues to throw life out of gear in North India with the minimum temperature dipping below to freezing point at some places in northern India like in Narnaul (Haryana) where the mercury plunging three degrees below freezing point, the lowest in 15 years.
Hisar shivered at a low of 0.8 degree Celsius.
In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the mercury fell to below to -0.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday while Muzaffarnagar, the city of western Uttar Pradesh, the mercury dipped to a minimum 0.7 degree Celsius, seven notches below normal.
Agra recorded a low of just 0.6 degree above the freezing point.
The meteorological department in Uttar Pradesh Tuesday predicted heavy frosting during the night even as temperatures across the state fell to a new low.
However, death toll due to severe cold in the state has reached 170 as 15 more people lost their lives during past 24 hours.
Owing to the unrelenting cold weather, the government has ordered closure of all schools till Jan 12, after which a call would be taken again, Basudev Yadav, director (Primary Education) said.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in the national capital Delhi improved from Monday's 2.4 degrees to 3.3 degrees.
Although visibility remained normal, the early morning fog affected road, rail and air traffic in the national capital.
Regional Met Department director J P Gupta said the cold wave would persist for another week though foggy conditions would not stay for long.
Due to fog in some parts, vehicular and rail traffic were crippled.
Flights at the Chowdhary Charan Singh international airport in Lucknow and Babatpur airport in Varanasi were delayed.
More than a dozen trains were running late from and to Lucknow, railway officials said.
In Himachal, mercury dropped further at many places. Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in the state with a low of minus 10.9 degree.
In Uttarakhand, districts located in the higher reaches including Almora, Tehri Garhwal and Pithoragarh recorded sub-zero temperatures, whereas the plains remained wrapped in thick fog cover.
The biting cold and icy winds have aggravated the agony of several homeless people, who are living on the streets and warmed themselves by sitting around the bonfire.
--With Agencies Inputs--
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