North India shivers as temp plunges; cold wave to grip parts of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan

People sit around a bonfire to warm themselves during a cold winter morning, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)

A cold wave occurs when temperatures drop to 4 degrees Celsius or lower, or 4.5 degrees below normal mark.

Delhi shivered on Sunday as the morning (minimum) temperature was recorded at 5.3 degrees Celsius, making Christmas the coldest day of the season so far. According to the IMD, dense fog and cold wave conditions are predicted for the national capital as temperature is expected to further drop to 4 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Uttarakhand | Fog engulfs Haridwar as the minimum temperature remains below 10 degrees Celcius pic.twitter.com/MNRTTpgSeO

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 26, 2022

The Delhi government has ordered the closure of schools for the winter break from January 1.

The weather agency has forecast snowfall in higher reaches of the Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh after a fresh western disturbance (WD) is expected on December 26 (Monday).

Western Disturbance is an extra-tropical weather system that originates in the Mediterranean sea and brings rain/snowfall to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is expected to visit the western Himalayan region on the night of December 29 bringing isolated to scattered rainfall/snowfall.

Fog and cold wave conditions in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad today

IMD predicts fog conditions to prevail this whole week pic.twitter.com/cvohGo4rrU

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 26, 2022

According to the IMD bulletin, cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat during the next 2 days.

A man pedals his cycle during a cold and foggy morning, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022.  (PTI Photo)

A woman makes way for her boat to reach the banks of partially frozen Dal Lake in Srinagar, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Mercury dipped several degrees below the freezing point as many places in Kashmir experienced the season’s coldest night, MeT officials informed on Sunday. The intense cold conditions have also led to the freezing of the interiors of Dal Lake in Srinagar.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ – the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley. The cold wave begins on December 21 and ends on January 30.

Meanwhile, in view of the cold wave conditions, all government schools in Bihar up to class 8 will remain closed from 26 to 31 December.

— with PTI inputs