The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a surge in winter chill across parts of North India, encompassing Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh, on New Year’s eve, with further intensification in early January. Thursday saw the lowest minimum temperature in Northwest India recorded at Padum (-16.5 degrees Celsius), followed by Gulmarg (-4.8 degrees Celsius) and Keylong (-4.8 degrees Celsius). In contrast, Kannur in Kerala registered the country’s highest temperature at 35.4 degrees Celsius. While Wednesday brought relatively warmer conditions to the National Capital Region, cold wave-like conditions persisted in Punjab, pockets of Himachal Pradesh, South Haryana, and North Rajasthan.
Northeast India is expected to encounter dense fog with low visibility over the next five days, starting from Thursday. The IMD also anticipates thick fog over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, and North Rajasthan from December 30 to January 1. Although temperatures in Delhi are not projected to drop below 4 degrees Celsius, the cold wave is anticipated to return in the first week of the new year. Over the next five days, IMD officials suggest a 2-3 degree Celsius rise in the minimum temperature in the Northern plains, followed by a gradual decrease of 2-3 degrees Celsius after the new year.
The winter season so far has remained dry and unaffected by western disturbances, and this trend is expected to persist for the next five days. However, light rainfall is predicted in Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Sikkim, along with moderate rain in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir over the next five days.
