Cold wave: Orange alert for isolated dense fog in Delhi-NCR; isolated rainfall likely
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted cold wave conditions and rainfall activity at isolated places in Delhi on Monday. Dense fog Conditions are very likely in the Delhi/NCR region at isolated places and an orange alert was issued regarding the same.
Delhi’s maximum temperature on Sunday was 17.3 degrees Celsius, two notches below the seasonal average.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are expected to settle around 19 degrees Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius on Monday, respectively.
A fresh western disturbance from Tuesday night will bring isolated to scattered rainfall/snowfall activity likely over Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand over the next three days.
The IMD said in its bulletin that the weather system will also bring isolated rainfall activity with thunderstorms and lightning over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, the Delhi-NCR region, and Uttar Pradesh on January 15 and 16.
A gradual fall in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius is likely over Northwest & Central India during the next 48 hours and a gradual rise by 2-4 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3 days.
Delhi’s air quality
On Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category, with Anand Vihar station recording an AQI of 374 as of 8 a.m.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Sunday’s AQI continued to be in the ‘poor’ category, with a reading of 273 at 6 p.m.
Fog prediction
Dense fog is also expected in isolated pockets of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan on Monday, IMD said.
Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh and in isolated parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Jammu & Kashmir
The meteorological department said the weather in the Kashmir valley will be mostly cloudy but dry until January 18, with a possibility of light snow at isolated higher reaches on January 15 and 16.
Kashmir is currently in the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the harshest period of winter that began on December 21. The 40-day period has the highest chance of snowfall and the lowest temperature.