Delhi and several northern states shivered under severe cold on Monday, with the minimum temperature in the national capital plunging to 3.2 degrees Celsius, the season’s coldest, prompting cold wave alerts and school closures in some areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that the freezing is likely to persist over the next few days, with severe cold wave conditions expected in isolated pockets across northern India.
The IMD warned that minimum temperatures will remain 3 to 5 degrees below normal across Delhi and surrounding regions for the next three days, before rising slightly.
Maximum temperatures are expected to stay normal over the next four days, rising above normal thereafter.
While cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are forecast over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on January 12 and 13, dense fog is expected in northwest India and Bihar for the next five days.
Severe cold swept across northern India. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand reported sub-zero temperatures, while Punjab and Haryana saw mercury hovering near freezing. Bathinda recorded 1.6 degrees Celsius, Hisar 2.2 degrees, and Narnaul 3 degrees Celsius. Dense morning fog reduced visibility in several areas, affecting travel and daily life.
In Punjab, Faridkot recorded 2.9 degrees, Ludhiana 4.6 degrees, Patiala 3.8 degrees, Amritsar 3.2 degrees, and Gurdaspur 3.8 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh registered 5 degrees Celsius, while Ambala, Faridabad, and Rohtak saw lows of 5.5, 4.2, and 4 degrees Celsius respectively.
Rajasthan also endured severe cold, with Pratapgarh at minus 2 degrees Celsius, Barmer minus 1, Pilani 1.2, Sikar 1.7, and Churu 2 degrees Celsius. Dense fog was reported in several districts.
Jharkhand experienced temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius in eight districts, with Gumla at 2.8 degrees, Palmau (Daltonganj) 4.9, and Khunti 5.6 degrees Celsius. Schools in Ranchi district will remain closed for students up to class six until January 14, while classes 7 to 12 will begin from 10 am. The IMD issued a yellow alert for cold wave conditions in parts of Jharkhand from January 13 to 16.
Kashmir continues to face the 40-day extreme cold spell known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’. Srinagar recorded minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, Shopian minus 8.6, Pahalgam minus 7.6, and Gulmarg minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.
Dense fog caused travel disruptions and accidents in Bihar. On Monday, a man and his daughter were killed, and four others injured when their SUV hit a container truck and collided with a car on the Bakhtiyarpur-Mokama highway. Cold day conditions are expected in isolated parts of Bihar until January 16.
Source: India Today