Lucknow experienced its coldest night of the season on Friday, with temperatures plummeting to a chilly 5.4°C, significantly lower than the normal range. The mercury drop, attributed to westerly winds from the snow-fed mountains of Himachal Pradesh, has sent a cold wave across Uttar Pradesh.

On Thursday, the city recorded its coldest night of the season, with the minimum temperature dipping to a chilly 6.3°C — 3.1°C below normal. Prior to that, on Wednesday, Lucknow's mercury had plunged to 6.6°C.

While Lucknow residents braced against the cold, nearby Ayodhya emerged as the state's coldest city, recording an even more frigid 4.5°C. Despite the nippy morning, a bright sunny day provided some respite, with daytime temperatures rising to a mild 21.3°C.

The weather department suggests similar cold conditions will persist over the weekend, with other districts like Bijnor, Etawah, Bahraich, and Bareilly also reporting temperatures between 5 and 5.7°C.