Severe cold in North India, cold wave and dense fog alert in many states

Most parts of North India are in the grip of severe cold these days. A drastic drop in temperature is being seen from the national capital Delhi to Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Srinagar recorded its coldest night of the season, with the mercury dropping to -6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature of Delhi remains around 5 degrees Celsius.

Cold has also knocked in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, where the minimum temperature was recorded at 5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of cold wave and dense fog in many states in the coming days.

Srinagar: Coldest night of the season

Cold is at its peak in Srinagar.

• A temperature of -6.0 degrees Celsius was recorded on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
• This is about 4 degrees less than normal.
• Earlier on December 9-10, a temperature of -5.4 degrees Celsius was recorded.

According to meteorologist Farooq Ahmed Bhat:

“The normal temperature in Srinagar is -2.0 degrees, but this time it reached -6.0 degrees, which was the coldest day of this season.”

Due to cold, water pipes and taps froze in many areas.

Punjab and Haryana: Many cities in the grip of cold

Many parts of Punjab and Haryana are in the grip of severe cold:

• Faridkot: Minimum temperature 2 degrees Celsius.
• Bathinda: 3.6 degrees Celsius.
• Amritsar: 4.2 degrees Celsius.
• Ludhiana: 5.6 degrees Celsius.
• Chandigarh: 7.4 degrees Celsius.

Telangana: Low temperature and light rain expected

The effect of cold is also being seen in South India.

• The minimum temperature in Adilabad was recorded at 6.7 degrees Celsius.
• Light rain: There is a possibility of light rain in some parts of the state on December 24-25.
• There is a possibility of morning mist or fog in some districts during the next 7 days.

Cold wave alert: How will the weather be in which states?

The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of cold wave and fog in many parts of North India:

• Himachal Pradesh: Cold wave from 19 to 23 December.
• Punjab: Cold wave on 19-20 and 21-22 December.
• Rajasthan: Cold wave in western Rajasthan from 20-23 December.
• Jammu and Kashmir: Cold wave between 19-25 December.
• Dense Fog:
  • Punjab and Haryana: 19, 20, and 22–24 December.
  • Uttar Pradesh: Till December 20.
  • Bihar and Jharkhand: 20-22 December.

Himachal Pradesh: Chance of snowfall on 27-28 December

The weather will remain dry in Himachal Pradesh for the next few days.

• An active western disturbance on December 27-28 may cause snowfall in higher reaches and light rain in lower reaches.
• According to Shobhit Katiyar (Senior Scientist at IMD):
  

  “There is no possibility of rain or snowfall in the state for the next 5-7 days, but the situation may change on December 27-28.”

Other areas of Srinagar

Minimum temperature recorded below zero in many areas of Kashmir:

• Pampore: -8.4 °C (coldest).
• Qazigund: -7.0 degrees Celsius.
• Pahalgam: -6.8 degrees Celsius.
• Kupwara: -6.2 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Department said that December 21-22 will be cloudy and there may be light snowfall in higher areas.