New Delhi: Freezing temperatures persist in several parts of North India, with Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand continuing to receive snowfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of cold to severe cold wave conditions in these regions. Mercury in Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh have plummeted. More snowfall is likely in higher reaches.
The IMD said cold wave to severe cold wave conditions may continue in some parts of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh.
In the last 24 hours, minimum temperatures have fallen below 0°C over several parts of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh; 2-6°C over plains of Himachal Pradesh; 6-12°C over Northwest India, Bihar & Jharkhand; 12-18°C over many parts of Central & West India, the IMD said on Tuesday. The lowest minimum temperature of 6.5°C was reported at Patiala in Punjab over the plains on Tuesday.
Northwest India may witness dip in minimum temperatures by 2°C during the next two days and steady rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4°C thereafter. There may be no marked change in minimum temperatures over Central & East India during next few days.
Light, scattered rainfall
Due to the Western disturbance, light to moderate rainfall/snowfall is likely at isolated places over Western Himalayan
Region and light rainfall at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, according to IMD forecast. Another active western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from Thursday night.
Isolated to scattered rainfall with thunderstorm and lightning may hit Rajasthan, Gujarat State on Thursday and Friday; Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh on Friday; West Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada during December 26-28, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh on December 27-28.
Thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorms also likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Friday and Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha on December 27 and 28.
According to IMD, light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightening is very likely at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Rayalaseema on Wednesday. Light to moderate rainfall at isolated places accompanied with thunderstorm, lightening over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal is expected today and tomorrow.
