IMD forecasts cold wave in North India over next 2 days

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a cold wave over some parts of Punjab, Haryana and northern Rajasthan in the next two days.

A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius or is 4.5 degrees lower than the season’s normal for two straight days. A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is less than 4 degrees in the plains.

The minimum temperature in Delhi fell to 9.6 degrees on November 17, and 9.8 degrees on November 21, 3 degrees below normal on both instances. On Monday, the minimum temperature was 11.4 degrees. Hisar in Haryana recorded 7.2 degrees on Monday, 4 degrees below normal.

A well-marked low-pressure area is located over southeast adjoining east-central Arabian Sea along with the associated cyclonic circulation, according to IMD.

A cyclonic circulation over the southeast Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood in the lower tropospheric is likely to move west-northwestward towards the Tamil Nadu coast in the next 4-5 days. A trough is running from the cyclonic circulation over southeast Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood to the Tamil Nadu coast. In association with the cyclonic circulation, moderate to heavy rainfall is likely over Karnataka, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during the next five days, IMD predicted.