Weather Report Today: Fresh snowfall and drizzle in Jammu and Kashmir, with the onset of Chillai Kalan, have intensified the cold wave conditions across North India. Reduced visibility, caused by dense fog, has prompted vehicles to crawl on roads in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, while air and rail traffic have faced major disruptions.
Prompting this, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of cold wave conditions and a sharp drop in temperature, accompanied by dense fog during early morning and night hours.
North India Weather Update
According to the Meteorological Department, a cold wave gripping North India is expected to intensify further following a two-day relief, with minimum temperatures may rise slightly over the next 48 hours before dropping by 3-5 degrees Celsius for the four days following.
Dense to very dense fog is also expected during the night and early morning hours, further worsening cold conditions in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha and Jharkhand, Jagran.com reported.
Delhi Weather Update
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the national capital as dense fog and a cold wave continue to intensify across the National Capital Region. According to the weather department, the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius (1.3 degrees above average) and a maximum of 18.1 degrees Celsius.
Dense to very dense fog during the early morning hours has severely impacted operations, with over 100 flights cancelled and hundreds more delayed at Delhi Airport. The temperature is expected to drop further, bringing intense chill to the national capital and neighbouring regions.
Snowfall In Jammu And Kashmir And Himachal
The 40-day period of the harshest winter, known as Chillai-Kalan, has begun in Kashmir with snowfall and persistent rain ending a long dry spell. Heavy snow has blanketed several parts of the valley, including Sonamarg and Gulmarg, as well as other high-altitude mountainous reaches, while Srinagar and the valley plains witnessed rainfall that continued from early morning until late evening.
As a precautionary measure, Mughal Road connecting Rajouri and Poonch districts and Shopian has been closed. The overcast conditions have caused daytime temperatures to plunge sharply, while the nighttime temperatures have seen a slight increase.
Snowfall was recorded in the higher reaches of Lahaul, including Rohtang, Shinkula, Baralacha, Dhauladhar hills of Himachal Pradesh. Light to moderate rain was observed in Chamba, Bharmour and Churah, Jagran.com reported.