The winter chill continued to numb the northern part of the country including the national capital with a dense layer of fog and ‘severe’ cold. Delhi woke up to another chilly morning with the maximum temperature dropped to 17.5 degree Celsius, two notches below the normal while the minimum temperature settled at 5.3 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season’s average. Ayanagar recorded a minimum temperature of 4.3 degree Celsius, three notches below the season’s normal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed the maximum temperature was recorded of 11.9 degree Celsius in Mangeshpur, 12.1 degree Celsius in Jafarpur, 14 degree celsius in Narela, 14.3 degree Celsius in SPS Mayur Vihar, 14.8 degree Celsius in Palam, 16.4 degree celsius in Lodhi Road, 15 degree celsius in Ridge, 15.8 degree Celsius in Ayanagar, 16 degree celsius in Pitampura, 16.4 degree celsius in Pusa. Similarly, the maximum temperature of Gurugram was recorded 14.7 degree celsius and 17.6 degree celsius in Faridabad. CDO Ghaziabad was recorded the maximum temperature of 13.8 degree celsius and NCMRWF Noida recorded 14.7 degree celsius.
A satellite image of North India, released by the weather department, showed very dense fog cover in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh on Monday morning, leading to disruption and slow movement of rail, road and air transport. As many as 20 Delhi-bound trains were delayed on Monday due to weather-related conditions in the national capital. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the relative humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 95 per cent.
In its advisory, the IMD has asked people do not ignore shivering, wear several layers of loose fitting, light weight; warm woollen clothing; cover head, neck, hands and toes adequately as majority of heat loss occurs through these body parts. “Wear several layers of loose fitting, light weight; warm woolen clothing rather than one layer of heavy cloth,” it added.
In its daily bulletin, the weather forecast agency said minimum temperatures were in the range of 4-8 degree Celsius over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan; 9-12 degrees over parts of east Uttar Pradesh and northwest Madhya Pradesh.
“It is above normal by 1-3 degree in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, south Rajasthan and in many pockets over east Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and 4-7 degree above normal over many parts of Bihar and Jharkhand.” It further predicted no significant change in minimum temperatures likely over northern parts of the country during the next five days, while cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of north Rajasthan on Friday and Saturday.
According to IMD, there was slight respite from the intense cold wave conditions in Jammu and Kashmir but the minimum temperatures remained several degrees below the freezing point across the valley, owing to clear sky.
Srinagar, is yet to experience snowfall this year. Gulmarg, known for its ski slopes, remains devoid of the usual winter snow, disappointing enthusiasts from India and abroad.
This January marks the first time in recent public memory that Gulmarg and Pahalgam, renowned for their snowy landscapes, have seen no snow.
The plains have received no snowfall, and the hilly areas have seen below-average snowfall, contributing to a 79 per cent rainfall deficit throughout December in the Kashmir Valley.
Experts warn that this reduction in snowfall might lead to water scarcity and a potential food crisis in the region. “In Kashmir, El Nino’s impact is evident through prolonged dry spells, milder winters, and diminished snowfall,” they said.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of “Chilla-i-Kalan”, a 40-day harsh winter period, when a cold wave sweeps the region and temperatures drop considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies as well as water in pipes.
