New Delhi: Not only will north India continue to reel under severe “cold wave” conditions, the winter chill is likely to get intense in the coming week with a cold spell set in over Delhi and its neighbouring states Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana.

In its forecast on Sunday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, “Cold wave conditions likely to develop over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and north Rajasthan from December 25. Due to favourable meteorological conditions, dense to very dense fog at few places very likely during morning hours over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh.”

“Cold day to severe cold day at a few places very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi during next 2-3 days,” the IMD said.

Biting cold continued to sweep Haryana and Punjab on Sunday as minimum temperatures in many parts north India hover below the 10 degrees Celsius mark.

The minimum temperature in most parts of Kashmir rose marginally, bringing some respite from the shivering cold in the valley, a meteorological department official said.

In Delhi, the maximum temperature settled at seven notches below normal at 14.6 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature was 7.4 degrees Celsius.

The temperature is likely to fall to 5 degrees Celsius by Thursday, an official said.

Churu in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius, while it was 9 degrees Celsius in Jaipur, the Met department said.

Narnaul in Haryana shivered at 4.5 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, as cold continued to sweep Haryana and Punjab.

Fog reduced visibility in the morning at several places in the two states, the weather department said.

In Punjab, Ludhiana was the coldest place recording a low of 4.8 degrees Celsius, down two notches below normal. Amritsar recorded a low of 7 degrees Celsius while Patiala's minimum settled at 7.4 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh recorded an above-normal minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday night. The highway town of Banihal, which was reeling under sub-zero temperatures over the past couple of days following fresh snowfall, recorded a low of 0.4 degrees Celsius, an official said.

The snow-bound Bhaderwah town in Doda district also recorded a dip in the night temperature, which settled at minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest recorded place in Jammu region.