Cold wave to prevail in north India till December 27, says weather department
On Monday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal.
The India Meteorological Department on Sunday said that cold wave conditions will prevail in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, north Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till December 27.
A cold wave occurs when temperatures drop to 4 degrees Celsius or lower, or 4.5 degrees below the normal mark.
On Monday, a cold wave swept through parts of Delhi and dense fog lowered visibility to 50 metres in some areas of the city, affecting road and rail traffic, reported PTI. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, making it the coldest day of the season, reported the news agency.
Heavy fog in the national capital also led to the delaying of trains. “Ten trains were reported running late by 1:45 to 3:30 hours,” an unidentified railway spokesperson told PTI.
Meanwhile, Western Disturbance is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region between December 29 and December 30 causing isolated to scattered rainfall or snowfall, said the weather department. Cold wave conditions have also been predicted in isolated pockets over Saurashtra and Kutch during the next two days.
The Met department on Sunday also warned of dense to very dense fog in parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan for the next three to four days.
Cold conditions in Kashmir have also intensified as the minimum temperature dipped several degrees below the freezing point. Kashmir is experiencing the 40-day harsh winter period when a cold wave sweeps through the region and the temperature drops considerably, leading to the freezing of water bodies as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the Valley, reported PTI.