IMD warns of dense fog, rain as cold wave tightens grip on north India

Minimum temperatures plunge across Delhi and north India as IMD warns of dense fog, cold wave conditions and spells of rain, with a gradual temperature rise expected over the next two days

Biting winter conditions continue to tighten their grip over large parts of north India, with morning temperatures dipping to 3–4 degrees Celsius at several places. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast dense to very dense fog, cold wave conditions, and rainfall and snowfall across several states in the coming days. 

According to the IMD’s latest weather bulletin, widespread weather disruptions are likely to persist across north, east and central India.

 

Where will dense fog conditions prevail?

 

The IMD said dense to very dense fog is very likely during morning and night hours in isolated parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh over the next few days, with dense fog expected to persist in isolated pockets for an extended period. Similar fog conditions are likely in Uttar Pradesh, where dense to very dense fog is expected in isolated areas.

 

Dense fog is also likely during morning and night hours in isolated pockets over Jammu division and Uttarakhand, as well as Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam and Meghalaya.

 

Which regions face cold day and cold wave conditions?

 

The weather office has forecast cold day conditions in isolated places over west Uttar Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh.

 

Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated parts of east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, with temperatures remaining significantly below normal.

 

Where is rainfall and snowfall expected?

 

The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall and snowfall at isolated to scattered places over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh, with a spell of fairly widespread to widespread precipitation, including isolated heavy snowfall, expected later.

 

Uttarakhand is also likely to witness scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and snowfall after an initial phase of isolated precipitation. Meanwhile, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, along with west Uttar Pradesh, may receive light to moderate rainfall.

 

What is the weather outlook for Delhi?

 

Delhi continues to reel under intense cold conditions, with minimum temperatures hovering around 4 degrees Celsius, well below the seasonal average. The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius, about 3.2 degrees below normal, according to IMD data.

 

For Sunday, the weather department has issued a yellow alert for Delhi, forecasting a partly cloudy sky with moderate fog at many places and dense fog in isolated areas during morning hours. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 5–7 degrees Celsius.

 

Will temperatures rise in the coming days?

 

The IMD has forecast a gradual rise in minimum temperatures of about 2 degrees Celsius over northwest and central India in the next two days, followed by a sharper increase of 3–5 degrees Celsius thereafter.

 

Over east India, minimum temperatures are likely to remain largely unchanged initially, before rising gradually by 2–3 degrees Celsius over the subsequent four days. No significant change in minimum temperatures is expected across the rest of the country during the forecast period.