Lucknow, Jan 6 (IANS): All schools up to eighth standard have been closed in the Uttar Pradesh capital till January 10, owing to extreme cold wave condition, an official said on Friday.

The decision was communicated to the management of all schools, he added. At many schools the winter vacations was extended.

Meanwhile, the MET office has warned of harsher weather till Sunday.

According to the regional MET office Director J.P. Gupta, the western disturbance in Jammu and Kashmir would play out in UP as well, and lead to considerable drop in the mercury.

There was thick fog here and many other parts of the state on Friday leading to disruption of normal life and vehicular movement, the official added. Visibility at many places dropped to 10-20 metres.

Drizzle to moderate rains were predicted for Lucknow and neighbouring areas. The maximum temperature on Thursday remained at 22 degrees Celsius while the minimum was recorded at 8.2 degrees Celsius.

The humidity recorded was 100 per cent leading to the increase in winter chill, the MET office said.

While over the past few days afternoons were sunny and warm, the MET office predicted cloudy weather till Sunday.