UP’s winter toll 103, sunny day in north India (Roundup)

NEW DELHI - The winter death toll in Uttar Pradesh hit 103 with 13 more deaths reported Tuesday even as a bright sunny day greeted the people in northern India.

In Haryana, three people were killed Tuesday as a car collided with a truck due to heavy fog in Hisar.

Despite the sun, the bitter cold continued to hit life hard in most places.

The disaster management department in Lucknow reported three deaths each in Barabanki and Balrampur, two in Gonda and one each in Chitrakoot, Basti, Sant Kabirnagar, Jalaun and Barielly.

The Himalayan towns were warmer compared to the previous days, but that was not enough to beat the all-pervading chill.

While long-distance trains got delayed in Chandigarh and New Delhi, airports operated normally because of clear visibility.

The sun could do little as the bitter cold, supported by chilly winds, continued disrupting normal life in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

Schools remained closed in Chandigarh, Delhi and in many Uttar Pradesh cities.

Snowfall in the Kashmir Valley led to a slight increase in temperature many places, including in the state capital Srinagar.

Srinagar received 0.6 mm snowfall early Tuesday, but the temperature (0 degrees) was higher than that of Monday (minus 2.2 degrees), according to a weather department official.

Officials predicted more snow in the coming days as the western disturbance from the Caspian Sea continued to affect the Valley’s weather.

Himachal Pradesh also had a warmer day with a marginal rise in temperature. The state is expecting light rains along with snow later this week, according to the Shimla weather office.

Shimla and Manali had light spells of snow and are expecting more of it, an official saod.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in the state with a low of minus 13.9 degrees against Monday’s minus 15.4 degrees.

Despite the sun, Delhi passed through another chilly day. The wind blowing through the day had people shivering their way to work.

The wind is expected to continue and there is also the possibility of light showers later in the week, an official said.

Cities in Uttar Pradesh saw another freezing day with Agra being the coldest at 1 degree.

Rail and air traffic in the cities were badly affected by the weather conditions. The Met officials have forecast similar conditions to continue.

Chandigarh and its surrounding areas also saw bright sun Tuesday. The temperature remained below average in all major cities in Punjab and Haryana.

The winter vacation for schools in Chandigarh and Panchkula in Haryana has been extended to Jan 16 due to the continuing cold wave.

Amritsar (1.4 degrees) was the coldest city in Punjab while Narnaul in Haryana recorded 2 degrees.

Rajastan had a comparatively warmer day Tuesday with the minimum temperature touching 8.2 degrees in Jaisalmer, a few notches above average.

The minimum temperature hovered between 4-6 degrees in Jaipur, Bikaner and Udaipur, according the weather office.