IMD: Cold wave knocks in Delhi and parts of North India, temperature falls by 1-2 degrees Celsius

Just a day before the forecast by the weather department, cold wave knocked in Delhi with the temperature falling by 1-2 degrees Celsius in Delhi and other parts of northern India.

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According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature has fallen by 1-2 degrees Celsius over Punjab, Haryana and Delhi and by 3-5 degrees Celsius over Rajasthan in the last 24 hours.

“Lowest minimum temperatures recorded at 8:30 am today is 0.6 degrees Celsius over Churu followed by Narnaul and Ludhiana having temperatures 1.6 degrees Celsius and 2.1 degrees Celsius respectively,” the IMD further said in its bulletin on Monday.

The weather department had earlier forecast cold wave condition in North India from Tuesday. “Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan from December 28-29. Ground frost and dense fog is likely in isolated pockets in the region,” the IMD had said on Sunday.

It said that a western disturbance led to rise in temperature in the region, but once it withdraws, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions will prevail in the region.

“Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/snowfall is very likely over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh; scattered rainfall/snowfall over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and isolated rain/thundershowers over northern parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on 27th-28th December,” the IMD said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake, as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.

For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal.