Cold waves continued to grip north India on Tuesday with dense to very dense fog engulfing the Indo-Gangetic plains including Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. The foggy weather also lowered visibility to 50 meters in several states and affected road traffic and train movement.
The cold wave conditions are likely to continue as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a further drop in the minimum temperature over the next couple of days.
Delhi’s minimum temperature to drop
Delhi’s minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to drop to five degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius in the next few days.
Due to moisture and light winds at lower tropospheric levels over Indo-Gangetic plains, the dense fog is also expected to continue in the national capital for the next few days. Earlier on Tuesday, the Safdarjung Observatory, which is the primary weather station in Delhi, recorded a minimum temperature of 6.3 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.
Haryana to record colder days ahead
The weather department has said that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions is likely at isolated places in Haryana while dense to very dense fog is also expected at most places over the next 4-5 days.
In Haryana, cold weather conditions on Tuesday prevailed in Narnaul, which recorded a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Hisar settled at 6 degrees Celsius.
Severe cold wave conditions over Punjab till December 25
In Punjab, the IMD has predicted severe cold wave conditions till December 25. Dense to very dense fog is also “very likely” over Punjab for the next two days, the weather department said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab with the mercury settling at a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius. Amritsar also experienced a cold night with a low of 6.8 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a low of 7.6 degrees Celsius. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that all schools in the state will open at 10 am from December 21 till January 21 due to foggy weather.