Delhi experiences light haze, 26 trains delayed
Delhi and the National Capital Region(NCR) experienced mild fog on Tuesday, causing delays for trains and flights. Low visibility led to 26 trains arriving late in the national capital. Delhi's minimum temperature dropped to 9 degrees Celsius, prompting locals to urge authorities to provide assistance to those seeking shelter from the cold wave. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted cold wave conditions for Central India in January and dense fog in northwestern and eastern India until Thursday (January 4).
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The Indo-Gangetic Plain has been experiencing low temperatures since late December amid a low cloud cover and persistent foggy conditions. Transportation was also severely hampered, mostly because of near-zero visibility, in North India, though the situation has comparatively improved. However, the central region of the country is also expected to witness a drop in mercury this month. Notably, on the other hand, the IMD said the southern peninsula and Northeast India of the country will experience warmer days in January.
Cold wave conditions to prevail in central region: IMD chief
IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra stated that between January 5 and 11, night temperatures are expected to fall, leading to cold wave conditions in some parts of Central India. He added that day temperatures would also be below normal, leading to cold day conditions, especially in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Meanwhile, cold to severe cold conditions are expected to persist in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and north Rajasthan over the next two days.
Dense fog predicted across these states
Moreover, the IMD forecasted dense fog in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Dense to very dense fog is anticipated in parts of Haryana and Chandigarh until Wednesday, Uttarakhand from Tuesday to Saturday, and East Rajasthan and isolated areas of West Rajasthan on Tuesday and Wednesday. Cold-day to severe cold-day conditions have also been predicted for parts of Uttar Pradesh and isolated regions of West Rajasthan.
Kashmir gripped by severe cold wave
In Jammu and Kashmir, a severe cold wave persisted on Tuesday as minimum temperatures dropped two to three degrees below the freezing point. Open skies have caused temperatures to dip further in many areas, including Srinagar. Notably, Kashmir is currently witnessing 40 days of harsh winter known as Chillai Kalan. Moreover, over the next two days, temperatures are expected to decline by 2-3 degrees Celsius across central and northwestern India, impacting daily life and transportation, per the IMD.
