Chandigarh, Jan 13 (IANS): The cold wave in Punjab and Haryana largely abated on Monday with rise in temperatures as mild spell of rains started, even as the weather bureau predicted widespread rainfall in the region.

Thunderstorm accompanied with hail is likely at some places of Punjab and Haryana with chances of heavy rain at isolated places till Thursday. The Met also said there are chances of dense fog on Tuesday.

Gurdaspur was the coldest in both the states with a low of 6 degrees Celsius.

Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a minimum of 11.3 degrees, a rise from Sunday's 9.7 degrees Celsius. The temperature was six notches above normal.

The minimum temperature in both the states was one to six notches above normal owing to the cloud cover, an official of the Meteorological Department told IANS.

The holy city of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab recorded the minimum at 10.2, 9.1 and 8.9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In the neighbouring Haryana, Karnal was the coldest with a low of 6.8 degrees, while Ambala and Narnaul saw 8.5 degrees each. It was 12.7 degrees in Sirsa, 7.8 degrees in Bhiwani and 11.8 degrees in Hisar.