North India cold wave today: The intensity of fog and its overall duration has significantly increased in north India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. In an official statement, the IMD said, "As forecast, fog duration, intensity and areas it covered, have been significantly increased across north India including over Delhi-NCR."
It further said that the airports in the national capital, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh have seen shallow fog whereas Pathankot, Jammu, and Amritsar will continue to have dense fog today (December 28). Dense fog enveloped Amritsar as cold wave gripped the city. The IMD had predicted a minimum temperature of 6 degree Celsius and a maximum temperature of 15 degree Celcius with fog or mist in Amristar this morning, followed by a partly cloudy sky later.
According to Senior Scientist of IMD, RK Jenamani, fresh cold wave conditions shall prevail again from December 31 to January 1, 2023. "Dense to very dense fog will continue to prevail in the belt. There will be an improvement on Dec 29 because of a western disturbance that will bring fresh snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Leh and Himachal Pradesh. There will be drizzle in north Punjab on Dec 29," he added.
CHECK LIST OF CITIES WITH 'MINUS TEMPERATURES':
Himachal Pradesh:
An intense cold wave gripped entire Himachal Pradesh as minimum temperatures dropped to below freezing point at most places. The minimum temperatures dipped 10-12 degrees below freezing point in high altitude tribal areas, mountain passes, and other higher ranges, while several other places reeled under lower reaches of sub-zero temperature.
- Keylong in tribal Lahaul valley recorded minus 7.9 degrees
- Kusumseri minus 5.0 degrees
- Kalpa minus 3.6 degrees
- Manali minus 0.6 degrees
- Bhuntar minus 0.4 degrees
Dense fog engulfed the lower hills of the state. The cold wave conditions are likely to continue, according to the weather department. The local MeT office has predicted light rainfall at isolated places in lower, mid, and higher hills on Thursday and rains at isolated places and in mid-hills and rains or snow at isolated places in higher hills on Friday.
The state remained bereft of its usual share of rains. The dry spell for it has meant that the region has received 0.5 mm rains on the whole from December 1 to December 27 against a normal of 30.9 mm-a deficit of 98 per cent.
All districts except Lahaul and Spiti received 100 per cent deficit rains, adding to the anxiety of farmers and apple growers. A prolonged dry spell is not good for the apple crop and other winter crops and can also cause fodder shortage, said an orchardist from Sandhu in Shimla district.
Jammu and Kashmir:
Intense cold gripped Ladakh and Kashmir Valley and dense fog covered Jammu city in the morning on Wednesday. The Meteorological (MeT) office said mainly a clear sky with cold and dry weather is likely to continue in Ladakh and J&K during the next 24 hours.
The intense cold gripped Ladakh and Kashmir Valley while dense fog affected the normal life in Jammu.
- Srinagar minus 5.6
- Pahalgam minus 7.4
- Gulmarg minus 6 degrees Celsius
- Ladakh region minus temperature:
- Kargil minus 11.8
- Leh minus 13.4
Also, Jammu had 2.7, Katra 6.2, Batote 1.5, Banihal 3.3 and Bhaderwah minus 0.8 as the minimum temperature.
Rajasthan's Churu freezes over at -0.5°C
The entire North Indian belt continued to reel under a severe cold wave condition on Tuesday, with the minimum temperature in Churu, Rajasthan, dropping below 0 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature in Churu was recorded at -0.5 degree Celsius on Tuesday, making it the coldest day in the city this winter.
According to the Meteorological department, the maximum daytime temperature in Churu on Monday was 18.8 degrees Celsius. The land of kings, as Churu is known, was blanketed by snow as the mercury slipped into minus. Locals were seen huddling around bonfires to keep the icy chill at bay.
The whims of nature has given this quaint Rajasthan city an identity of its own. While temperature in Churu at the peak of summer can go up to 50 degrees Celsius, the mercury drops below zero as winter takes hold of the city. The Met department warned of the mercury going further south in the coming days.
Temperature below 5 degrees:
The night temperature in Sikar was recorded at 1.5 degrees Celsius, Pilani 1.9 degrees Celsius, Nagaur 2.8 degrees Celsius, Vanasthali (Tonk) 3.6 degrees Celsius, Bhilwara 3.8 degrees Celsius, Sangaria (Hanumangarh) 3.9 degrees Celsius, Karali 4.2 degrees Celsius, Sirohi 4.6 degrees Celsius, Chittorgarh 4.7 degrees Celsius and Sriganganagar 4.8 degrees Celsius, according to the meteorological department.
According to the weather office, there is a possibility of a slight increase in the minimum and the maximum temperatures from December 28. Dense fog is also likely to reduce in the state from Wednesday, officials said. A new round of cold wave is expected in the first week of January, they added.
Punjab, Haryana WEATHER UPDATE:
Biting cold conditions continued in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday, with Bathinda being the coldest place in the region, according to a report issued by the Meteorological Department.
A thick blanket of fog also enveloped many parts of both the states, thus reducing visibility. In Punjab, Bathinda shivered at one degree Celsius, the report said. Amritsar recorded its low at 2.8 degrees Celsius while Ludhiana's minimum temperature was 6.4 degrees Celsius.
Patiala, Pathankot, Faridkot and Gurdaspur recorded their respective minimums at 6.8, 7.1, 3.5 and 4.7 degrees Celsius. Union Territory Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded its minimum temperature at 5.1 degrees Celsius.
In Haryana, Narnaul experienced cold weather conditions at 4 degrees Celsius. Among other places in the state, Ambala's minimum temperature was 6.7 degrees Celsius while Hisar's low was 4.3 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperatures of Karnal, Rohtak, Bhiwani and Sirsa settled at 6.7, 8.2, 4.3 and 5.8 degrees Celsius respectively.
Delhi-NCR COLD WAVE:
Dense fog and cold wave conditions continued to sweep the national capital with the city recording a minimum temperature of 7.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold day conditions are likely to abate over northwest India from Wednesday and then resurge from December 31.
From December 28 onwards there will be a significant improvement as the cold wave will go due to western disturbance, stated Jenamani. In Delhi so far, the lowest temp of 4.0 degrees celsius was recorded at Aya Nagar and a cold wave is still prevailing at isolated places.
(With agencies inputs)
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