Chandigarh, Jan 7. (PTI): The piercing cold froze most places in Punjab on Saturday, as minimum temperatures dropped below zero making people shiver under the severe chill.

Adampur suffered the maximum onslaught of the current spell of cold wave. The minimum there plummetted to minus 3.8 degrees celsius, six degrees below the normal range.

As minimum temperatures continued their downward trend at many places in the region for the fourth consecutive day, Ludhiana was the second coldest place in the State, registering a low of minus 1.4 degrees celsius, a record seven degrees below the normal range, the Meteorological Department said here.

Many people in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Patiala restricted themselves indoors to remain warm.

At Amritsar, the minimum touched minus 1.3 C, five below normal. Patiala had no relief either as the minimum plunged to 0.2 C, seven below normal.

While most places in Punjab registered their coldest night of the season so far, Chandigarh too remained unspared from the cold spell.

Chandigarh witnessed its coldest day of the season so far as minimum dropped to 0.0 degree celsius, seven below normal.

Many places in Haryana were also under the influence of biting cold. Ambala registered a low of 1.4 C, six below normal.

Karnal reeled under the severe cold at 2 degree celsius, five below normal while Narnaul had a low of 3 degree celsius.

Meanwhile, the MET Department in Chandigarh, was at a loss to explain what was causing the mercury to drop consistently over the past few days.