India is experiencing a severe cold spell as the Sandynalla reservoir area in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district recorded a temperature of 0°C on Thursday morning. The hill station Ooty also witnessed a chilling temperature of 2.3°C, leading to heavy frost. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts the continuation of dense to very dense fog and cold day to severe cold day conditions in North India over the next four days.
Severe cold wave conditions are expected to persist in the plains of Northwest India during the same period. The IMD forecasts a rise in minimum temperatures by about 2°C over Northwest India, with no significant change thereafter. Similarly, a rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4°C is expected over East India.
Specifically, Punjab and Haryana-Chandigarh are likely to experience severe cold wave conditions on January 18-19, while cold wave conditions will continue in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on January 20 and 21. Himachal Pradesh is expected to witness cold wave conditions on January 18, West Uttar Pradesh on January 20-21, and north Rajasthan during January 19-21.
Dense fog conditions are anticipated in north Rajasthan from January 18-20, and over north Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on January 18-19. Severe cold day conditions are expected to persist in some parts of West Uttar Pradesh on January 18, and cold days will prevail in isolated pockets from January 19-21. Northwest Madhya Pradesh is likely to experience severe cold day conditions on January 18-19. Cold day conditions will continue in isolated pockets of Bihar from January 17-21, and over Rajasthan on January 18.