Delhi recorded its lowest temperature so far this year at 3.1 degrees Celsius, which is five notches below normal, as a severe cold wave swept across North India.

Apart from Delhi, the icy winter chill also gripped Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Churu in  Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, while Srinagar in Kashmir saw mercury plunging to minus 5.8 degrees Celsius.

However, the cold spell is expected to abate as two back-to-back western disturbances and the resultant slowing of northwesterly winds from Tuesday night will push the minimum temperature up, according to RK Jenmani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD had predicted severe cold wave conditions in northwest India till December 21.