Lucknow, Jan 19 (IANS): After reopening briefly for two days following an extended winter break, schools in the Uttar Pradesh state capital have been closed again due to the cold wave, an official said on Thursday.

District Magistrate Satyendra Singh said the decision was taken after a sudden drop in the temperature and it will be reviewed again after two days.

Icy winds prevailed in the city and also in some parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The minimum temperature in the past 24-hours was 7.7 degrees Celsius while the maximum was 20.7 degrees Celsius.

The weather office attributed the sudden change in temperature to heavy snowfall in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

"A second western disturbance has become active in the Kashmir region, leading to a cyclonic situation in western Uttar Pradesh," a climate expert said.

Director of the Regional Met office, J.P. Gupta said the cold wave was likely to continue till January 22.