New Delhi: Cold wave conditions prevailed in the national capital on Tuesday with the minimum temperature at Safdarjung, settling at 2.4 degrees Celsius. This was a notch above Monday's minimum temperature of 1.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the month since 2021. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Monday offered news of some relief. The weather watchdog said that cold wave conditions may abate from January 19. This is because two western disturbances in quick succession are likely to soar temperatures in northwest India on January 18 and 20.
A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region from the night of January 18, the IMD stated. Under its influence, light, moderate, isolated or scattered rainfall or snowfall is likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during January 18-20.
Another active Western Disturbance in quick succession is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region from the night of January 20th. Under its influence, light-moderate scattered, fairly widespread rainfall or snowfall is expected over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during January 20-24 and light-moderate isolated to scattered rainfall is likely over the plains of northwest India on January 22-24.
Meanwhile, several flights were delayed due to foggy conditions and low visibility in the national capital. As many as 15 trains in the Northern Railway region were also delayed by as much as 8 hours due to dense fog. According to Indian Railways, some of the prominent trains that have been delayed include Puri- New Delhi Purushottam Express (running late by 2 hours), Howrah -New Delhi Poorva Express (running late by 8 hours), Kamakhya-Delhi Brahmaputra Mail (running late by 4 hours) and Visakhapatnam-New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express (running late by 4 hours).
"Minimum temperatures are very likely to fall further about 2 degree Celsius over many parts of Northwest India till 17th January morning. No significant change in weather conditions is expected till 18th. However, temperatures are expected to rise by 4-6°C on 19th-21st January. The weather watchdog also stated that cold to severe cold wave conditions are likely over many or some parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi till the 18th and thereafter in isolated pockets of east Rajasthan on the 19th. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will also be witnessing cold wave conditions in isolated pockets from January 17-19 and over Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Saurashtra and Kutch from January 17-18.
It also stated that ground frost conditions is expected in isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Uttar Pradesh on the 17th and 18th of January. Dense to very dense fog is very likely in isolated pockets during the night and morning hours over Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during January 16-18. Dense fog is very likely in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand during the 16th-18th; over Bihar during 16th-19th; over Odisha on 16th and 17th and over Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura during the 16th-20thJanuary 2023, it mentioned.
The minimum temperature has fallen by 1-3 degrees over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, east Rajasthan, northwest Madhya Pradesh & west Uttar Pradesh, and no significant change in the remaining parts of northwest India. The lowest minimum temperature of -2.5 degrees Celsius was observed over Churu (West Rajasthan).
