Cold wave prevails in North India, IMD issues red alert for fog

Severe cold wave conditions and a dense fog continued to prevail in North India on Tuesday with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red and yellow alert in several parts of the country.

According to the weather agency, a ‘cold day to severe cold day’ condition is likely at several places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Uttarakhand. “Cold wave is likely at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan,” the IMD said.

Notably, the IMD declares a ‘cold wave’ when the minimum temperature dips to 4 degree Celsius or below and/or is 4.5 notches less than normal. A ‘cold day’ is declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degree Celsius or below and/or is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees lesser than the season’s normal for two consecutive days.

Here are the latest updates:

1. The IMD on Tuesday issued a cold to severe cold day warning at several places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and isolated places over Uttarakhand; while a cold wave warning has been issued at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

2. The weather agency also predicted “dense to very dense fog” at many places including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad (PoK), Himachal Pradesh, and West Rajasthan. Meanwhile, a red alert for fog has been issued in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Bihar. “Less than 100 m visibility at 8.30 am on Tuesday in Jammu division’s Jammu, Uttarakkhand’s Pantnagar, Punjab’s Patiala, Amritsar and Ludhiana, Haryana’s Bhiwani and Karnal, Delhi’s Palam, Rajasthan’s Ganganagar, UP’s Bareilly, Bahraich, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj and Bihar’s Gaya, Bhagalpur and Purnea”, IMD said.

3. Delhi’s Safdarjung on Tuesday morning saw a minimum temperature of 3.8 degrees Celsius. According to IMD, the minimum temperature is expected to settle at 4 degrees, while the maximum temperature is expected to be at 19 degree Celsius.

4. Several flights including – Delhi-Kathmandu, Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Shimla, Delhi-Dehradun, Delhi-Chandigarh-Kullu – have been delayed due to fog and cold in the national capital, reported news agency ANI.

5. Due to fog, 36 trains are running late in the Northern Railway region.

6. On Saturday, the IMD said that “due to the approaching fresh Western Disturbance from January 10 night, minimum temperatures are very likely to rise by 2-4 degree Celsius over Northwest India after 24 hours.”