India Weather Update: Severe Cold Wave Grips Nation, IMD Issues Alerts

India is reeling under an intense cold spell, with biting winds, dense fog, and freezing temperatures gripping several regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of worsening weather conditions, with cold waves and snowfall amplifying the chill across northern and central parts of the country.

Delhi-NCR has seen a sharp dip in temperatures, with the minimum recorded at 5 degrees Celsius, matching the chill of Shimla. Dense fog has engulfed the national capital, disrupting visibility during the morning and evening hours. Residents are resorting to lighting bonfires to combat the cold.

In Rajasthan’s Karauli district, temperatures have plummeted to 1.3 degrees Celsius. Madhya Pradesh has also experienced a severe drop in temperatures, with 12 cities reporting minimums below 8 degrees Celsius. The lowest recorded temperature in the state was 3.3 degrees Celsius. IMD forecasts that the cold wave in Madhya Pradesh will persist until December 23.

Further north, Jammu and Kashmir are enduring freezing conditions, with temperatures plunging below zero in most areas. Srinagar recorded -6 degrees Celsius, while Kargil and Leh experienced even harsher conditions at -13.5 degrees Celsius and -11.2 degrees Celsius, respectively. Rivers and waterfalls in the region remain frozen, reflecting the severity of the cold spell.

Weather systems over the Bay of Bengal are expected to bring light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms to parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Gangetic West Bengal. The IMD has noted that a low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving toward northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh. Over the next 24 hours, it is predicted to move northward along the Andhra coast.

A trough in the lower and middle troposphere is activating western disturbances, likely to affect the western Himalayan region and nearby plains around December 27. This system is expected to cause stormy winds reaching speeds of 45 km/h, alongside rain and thunderstorms in select regions.

Cold waves and dense fog are set to affect a wide swath of the country. The northeastern states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya, will continue to experience chilly conditions. North Indian states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan are also on alert. Frost conditions are likely in parts of Himachal Pradesh until December 23, adding to the challenges posed by the winter weather.

In Delhi-NCR, temperatures remain low, with dense fog expected to persist for the next three days. The city’s maximum temperature on December 20 was recorded at 19.9 degrees Celsius, while the minimum dropped to 5 degrees Celsius. Today’s forecast predicts a maximum of 22.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10.05 degrees Celsius, with humidity at 23 per cent and wind speeds of 23 km/h. Over the last 24 hours, the minimum temperature has dropped by 3 degrees Celsius.

The IMD has issued advisories for extreme cold and visibility disruptions in affected regions.