Cold-wave conditions have gripped north Indian states, including the national capital which is currently freezing at 4.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest this season.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the city’s minimum temperature could go up to 4 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The cold wave has also hit other states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and others. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed fresh snowfall on Wednesday.
The regional meteorological center, Delhi, predicted that on Thursday, there would be a “Mainly clear sky with cold wave conditions at isolated places. Smog/mist is likely in the morning. Smog/mist is likely in the evening/night. The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 23 and 04 degrees Celsius, respectively.”
News agency PTI reported, citing the weather agency, that the minimum temperatures in early December were below 5 degrees Celsius for the first time in 14 years. According to IMD data, the lowest minimum temperature during this period was recorded on December 6, 1987, at 4.1 degrees Celsius.
Coldwave forecast for Delhi
For December 12, the weather agency predicted, “Mainly clear sky with cold wave conditions at isolated places. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction with a speed of less than 8 kmph during morning hours. Smog/mist is likely in the morning. The wind speed will increase thereafter, becoming less than 16 kmph from the northwest direction during the afternoon. It will decrease thereafter, becoming less than 8 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night. Smog/mist is likely in the evening/night.”
While for December 13, it predicted, “Mainly clear sky with cold wave conditions at isolated places. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction with a speed of less than 8 kmph during morning hours. Smog/mist is likely in the morning. The wind speed will gradually increase, becoming 10-12 kmph from the northwest direction during the afternoon. It will decrease thereafter, becoming less than 8 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night. Smog/mist is likely in the evening/night.”
IMD’s coldwave warnings
According to the IMD forecast for north India, minimum temperatures in northwest and central India are not expected to fluctuate significantly over the next four to five days.
During the next two days, East India’s minimum temperatures are expected to gradually drop by 2-3°C with no discernible change, while West India’s minimum temperatures are expected to gradually rise by 2-3°C.
In isolated areas of Rajasthan, IMD predicted that cold wave conditions were likely to persist until December 16. In other parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, cold wave conditions were predicted to persist until December 16; in Saurashtra and Kutch, Delhi until December 13; and in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad from December 13 to 16.