Chandigarh, Apr 6 (UNI) The maximum and minimum temperatures in the North West remained below normal following unseasonal rains that lashed Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh yesterday.

The rains accompanied by high velocity winds had caused wide spread damage to the ripening wheat crop in Punjab and Haryana.

Though their was no spell of rain today, the maximum and minimum temperatures in Punjab registered a sharp decline and remained five to six degrees celsius below normal. The maximum temperatures in the border state had crossed the 30 degree celsius mark before the rains.

In Amritsar, the maximum was recorded at 27.8 degrees, six degrees below normal while the minimum went down to 10.8 degrees, five below normal. In Ludhiana the maximum was 26.6 degrees while the minimum went down to 12.3 degrees while in Patiala the maximum was recorded at 28.7 while the minimum was 12.6 degrees.

In adjoining Haryana the tenperatures also registered a decline.

In Ambala the maximum was recorded at 27.3, four degrees below normal while the minimum was 13.0, five degrees below normal.

The capital town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh registered the maximum at 13.4 degrees, five degrees below normal while the minimum was 4.4 degrees, six degrees below normal. The maximum in Sundernagar was 25.0 degrees and the minimum was 10.1 degrees while at Bhuntar the macimum was 25.4 degrees and the minimum fell to 8.0 degrees.

The maximum in Una was 28.5 degrees while the minimum was recorded at 15.0 degrees. The maximum in Dharamshala sropped to 20.7 degrees and the minimum to 7.7 degrees.

The maximum in Chandigarh was recorded at 27.4 degrees, five degrees below normal while the minimum was 13.0 degrees, five degres below normal.

The Met office has predicted a clear sky tomorrow in Punjab and Haryana.

UNI HS MMS1821