Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius at 8.30am on Tuesday.
On Monday, the minimum temperature was 5.6 degrees Celsius.
Most cities and towns in northwest India recorded “poor” air quality with Delhi recording an air quality index (AQI) of 332 in “poor” category. Bhiwadi, Baghpat, Gurugram, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and others in NW India also recorded “poor” air quality.
Air quality has improved compared to last week mainly due to moderate winds measuring 8 to 10 kmph across the cities, according to ministry of earth sciences’ air quality early warning system.
Under the influence of a western disturbance, there was snowfall over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
There was also widespread snowfall over several parts of Western Himalayas on Sunday—Shimla 9cm; Manali 14cm; Dalhousie 22cm; Kufri 30cm; Jubbar Hati 4cm, all in Himachal Pradesh. Snowfall was also reported from Chakrata in Uttarakhand. Ground frost was reported from Mukteshwar, Mori-10mm; Tyuni/Purola-7mm.
After the WD passes, under the influence of the consequent strengthening of cold and dry north-westerly or northerly lower-level wind, a fall in minimum temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius is likely over northwest India during next three days from December 29 to 31 and a slight rise of about 2 to 3 degrees Celsius is likely thereafter.
“Cold wave” to “severe cold wave” conditions are likely in some pockets over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and north Rajasthan during December 28 to 30 and “cold wave” conditions are likely in pockets over these regions on December 31 and January 1. “Cold wave” to “severe cold wave” conditions are likely over Uttar Pradesh and isolated parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha during December 30 and 31.
A cold wave occurs in plains when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and/or is 4.5 notches lesser than the season’s normal for two consecutive days. Cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is less than 4 degrees Celsius in the plains.
Dense to very dense fog with visibility under 50 metres is likely in some parts of northwest India on December 30 and New Year’s Eve. IMD in its impact-based bulletin released on Tuesday said dense to very dense fog is likely over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, northwest Uttar Pradesh on December 30, 31 and January 1.
By Hindustan Times
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