Minimum temperatures ranged from one to three degrees celsius in many parts of northwest India on January 1. 2023, as severe cold wave conditions continued to shiver Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi.
It is likely to get even colder in the region in the next two days with the frigid northwesterly winds from the Himalayas setting in over the plains. However, cold wave conditions will abate from January 19 under the influence of two western disturbances which are likely to affect the region in quick succession, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
When a western disturbance — a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East — approaches a region, the wind direction changes. The chilly northwesterly winds from the mountains stop blowing, leading to an increase in temperatures.
Here is everything you need to know about the cold wave in north and northwest India
1. Minimum temperatures are very likely to fall further by about 2 degrees celsius over many parts of northwest India till January 17. The IMD said minimum temperatures will gradually rise by three to five degrees celsius from January 18 to January 20 under the influence of the two fresh western disturbances.
2. Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed in many parts of Delhi and some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. “The minimum temperatures are in the range of one to three degrees celsius over many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, northwest and east Rajasthan; in the range of three to five degrees celsius over the remaining parts of Rajasthan, many parts of west Uttar Pradesh,” IMD said.
3. A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region from the night of January 18. Under its influence, light/moderate/isolated/scattered rainfall/snowfall is very likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand likely during January 18-20, 2023.
4. Another active western disturbance in quick succession is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region from the night of January 20 and adjoining plains of northwest India from January 22. Under its influence, light-moderate scattered/fairly widespread rainfall/snowfall over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely during January 20-24 and light-moderate isolated to scattered rainfall is likely over plains of northwest India between January 22-24.
5. The IMD had earlier issued an orange warning for a cold wave in Delhi till January 17-18. The weather station at Lodhi Road, where the IMD headquarter is located, recorded a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees celsius. The minimum temperature plunged to 2.8 degrees celsius at Ayanagar in southwest Delhi, two degrees celsius at the Ridge in central Delhi and 2.2 degrees celsius at Jafarpur in west Delhi.
6. Churu, located near the Thar desert, logged a minimum temperature of minus 2.5 degrees celsius, the lowest in the plains on Monday. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base station, saw the minimum temperature plunge to 1.4 degrees celsius, the lowest in the month since January 1, 2021.
7. Delhi saw an intense cold wave spell from January 5 to 9, the second longest in the month in a decade, according to IMD data. It has also recorded over 50 hours of dense fog this month so far, which is the highest since 2019.
8. No considerable change in temperatures is very likely over Gujarat until January 18 and a rise by 2-4 degrees celsius thereafter.
9. Dense to very dense fog is very likely in isolated pockets during night and morning in Sub Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim between January 16-18. Dense fog is also very likely in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand during January 16-18; over Bihar between January 16-19; over Odisha between January 16-17 and over Assam & Meghalaya and Tripura between January 16-20.
10. Ground frost conditions in isolated places are very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Uttar Pradesh between January 17-18.
Difference between cold wave and severe cold wave
In the plains, a cold wave is declared if the minimum temperature dips to four degrees celsius or when it is 10 degrees celsius and 4.5 notches below normal. A severe cold wave is when the minimum temperature dips to 2 degrees celsius or the departure from the normal limits is by more than 6.4 notches.
(With PTI/ANI inputs)
