Cold wave situation intensified in the north Indian states on Saturday with temperatures in Lucknow dropping to 0.1° Celsius and Srinagar recording minimum temperature of -6.8° Celsius. As many as nine death have been reported from Uttar Pradesh, IANS reported, with the Indian Meteorological Department terming the situation in the state “unprecedented”. The state administration has declared holiday for students of Class 1 to Class 8 till January 16.

The Met department on Friday said parts of Himachal Pradesh – Kullu, Shimla, Kinnaur, Mandi, Spiti and parts of Chamba – would receive heavy rain or snow for two days starting January 15. Minimum temperatures in the state settled between -18°C and -26°C on Friday, PTI reported. Frozen water pipes burst at many places disrupting the water supply, while ground frost hampered traffic. Public Works Department deployed more than 12,000 labourers for restoration work on the highways, which have now been opened.

Delhi temperatures dropped to 3.2°C on Saturday morning, which is four degrees below normal, said Skymet Weather. A total of 25 trains were delayed, six were rescheduled and eight were cancelled because of fog, ANI reported.

However, Delhi can expect some relief soon as night temperatures are set to rise. The change in the weather is because of the fresh Western Disturbance which is approaching Jammu and Kashmir, “which will change the wind pattern to warm and humid”, Skymet Weather said. The Centre had issued a warning on Monday, saying that the minimum temperatures are likely to be 2°C - 4°C between January 10 and January 13 in the northern states.