Several parts of northern and eastern India remained in the grip of cold wave conditions as minimum temperatures continued to dip across states like Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.
While Delhi escaped cold wave conditions on Tuesday, its neighboring states, including Punjab and Haryana, experienced intense chill.
The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 5.9 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature was slightly warmer at 24.4 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal.
For Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast dense fog in Delhi, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 24 and 6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The winter chill intensified in several parts of Haryana and Punjab as cold wave conditions prevailed, with Faridkot recording a minimum temperature of zero degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
Amritsar followed closely with a low of 2.6 degrees Celsius, while Ludhiana and Patiala both registered 4.8 degrees. Pathankot experienced a biting cold at 2.8 degrees, and Bathinda and Gurdaspur shivered at 3 and 3.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In Haryana, Hisar was the coldest district with a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa at 2.6 degrees. A chilly night gripped Karnal, where the mercury dropped to 4.6 degrees, while Rohtak and Bhiwani recorded minimum temperatures of 5.6 and 5.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Rajasthan experienced extremely cold weather conditions, with below-normal minimum temperatures recorded in most areas, according to the weather office.
Karauli registered the lowest night temperature at 1.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Fatehpur at 2.5 degrees.
Among other locations, Sangaria recorded a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius, Sikar at 3.7 degrees, Churu at 4 degrees, Alwar at 4.2 degrees, and Ganganagar and Dholpur at 4.8 degrees. Nagaur reported 5.1 degrees, Anta 5.2 degrees, Sirohi 5.3 degrees, and Bhilwara and Pilani both saw temperatures dip to 5.4 degrees Celsius.
The MeT office has predicted a further drop in minimum temperatures due to an approaching western disturbance after 24 hours.
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Kanke district in Jharkhand recorded the state’s lowest temperature at 2.5 degrees Celsius, as most districts experienced minimum temperatures below 10 degrees.
Gumla reported a low of 4.9 degrees Celsius, while Garhwa recorded 5 degrees. Lohardaga followed with a minimum of 6.3 degrees, Chatra at 6.4 degrees, Daltonganj at 7.5 degrees, Dhanbad at 8.8 degrees, and Jamshedpur at 9.5 degrees Celsius.
The state capital, Ranchi, registered a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius.
Konibal, on the outskirts of Pampore, was the coldest district in the Kashmir Valley, recording a minimum temperature of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, according to weather officials.
Pahalgam followed with a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg recorded minus 4 degrees.
In Srinagar, the mercury dipped to minus 5.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, causing water supply lines to freeze in several parts of the city and other areas across the Valley.
Other locations, including Qazigund, Kupwara, and Kokernag, reported minimum temperatures of minus 6, minus 5.6, and minus 5.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The IMD has predicted mainly dry weather across the Valley until December 26, with a possibility of light snowfall in higher regions of Kashmir on the intervening night of December 21 and 22.
The local weather department in Himachal Pradesh has issued an orange alert for cold wave conditions in several areas, predicting cold weather at isolated places in the lower hills and plains of four out of the state’s 12 districts over the next few days.
According to the MeT office, cold wave conditions are expected to persist in districts such as Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Mandi.
Lahaul and Spiti’s Tabo recorded the coldest night in the state at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Kukumsheri at minus 4.6 degrees, Manali at minus 2.1 degrees, Hamirpur at 1.3 degrees, Sundernagar at 0.5 degrees, Una at 0.4 degrees, and Bilaspur at 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Shimla and its suburban areas remained relatively warmer, with the state capital recording a minimum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius.
The IMD has forecast no significant changes in minimum temperatures over the plains of northwestern India during the next four to five days. However, a rise in minimum temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius is very likely over East India in the next three days, with no major change expected thereafter.
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