IMD warns of bone-chilling cold wave in North India, dense fog for 5 days

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) There seems to be no immediate respite from the bone-chilling cold wave and fog which will continue for the next few days, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday.

The IMD said the cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely over North India during the next two days while cold day to severe day wave conditions are likely over the plains of Northwest India during the next three days and then the conditions will abate thereafter.

The IMD also predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue to prevail over North India during the next five days.

In its daily bulletin, the weather forecast agency said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 3-7 degree Celsius over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, south Rajasthan, north Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar.

“These are below normal by (-)1 degree Celsius to (-) 3 degree Celsius at many places of north India. Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 1.4 degree Celsius reported at Amritsar (Punjab),” said the IMD.

It also said that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed in isolated pockets of East Rajasthan, Punjab and cold wave condition in isolated pockets of Haryana and West Rajasthan.

“Gradual fall by 2-3 degree Celsius in minimum temperatures is likely over many parts of Central and East India during the next 2-3 days and no significant change thereafter. However, no significant change in minimum temperatures is very likely over Northwest India during the next five days,” said the IMD.

As per weather department, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely to continue in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on Friday and Saturday and cold wave conditions in isolated pockets on Sunday.

“Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Rajasthan on Friday, over Uttar Pradesh on Friday and Saturday and over Bihar during Friday and Sunday,” said the IMD.

The IMD also predicted that ground frost conditions were very likely over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana on Saturday.