MeT has issued a warning of severe cold conditions over the next few days
Biting cold conditions have gripped parts of north and north-west India with several cities and towns reporting maximum temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold wave conditions in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand during the next two days. Saurashtra and Kutch regions are likely to see cold wave conditions over the next 24 hours, IMD said on Monday.
A cold wave occurs when temperatures drop to 4 degrees Celsius or lower, or 4.5 degrees below normal mark.
Delhi shivered on Sunday as the morning (minimum) temperature was recorded at 5.3 degrees Celsius, making Christmas the coldest day of the season so far. According to the IMD, dense fog and cold wave conditions are predicted for the national capital as temperature is expected to further drop to 4 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The Delhi government has ordered the closure of schools for the winter break from January 1.
The weather agency has forecast snowfall in higher reaches of the Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh after a fresh western disturbance (WD) is expected on December 26 (Monday).
Western Disturbance is an extra-tropical weather system that originates in the Mediterranean sea and brings rain/snowfall to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is expected to visit the western Himalayan region on the night of December 29 bringing isolated to scattered rainfall/snowfall. According to the IMD bulletin, cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat during the next 2 days.
Mercury dipped several degrees below the freezing point as many places in Kashmir experienced the season’s coldest night, MeT officials informed on Sunday. The intense cold conditions have also led to the freezing of the interiors of Dal Lake in Srinagar.
