Dense fog and cold wave over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the next 24 hours
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Parts of the country may see a brief respite from the cold, with minimum temperatures expected to increase by around 2 degrees Celsius on the morning of January 12, 2023. The temperatures are, however, expected to fall again by 3-5°C from January 14-16 for northwest and central India.
A thick layer of dense fog covered parts of northwest India, with several areas battling cold and very cold wave conditions, said the India Meteorological Department. Reduced visibility due to fog has also led to delays or cancelling many trains and flights, reported news agency Asian News International.
There may be dense to very dense fog and cold day conditions over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the next 24 hours, IMD warned. Isolated heavy rainfall or snowfall is also likely over Kashmir valley on January 11.
Read more: Delhi shivers at 3°C, season’s coldest; Rajasthan dips to -1.5°C
Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall or snowfall has also been forecast over western Himalayan region until January 13, IMD said. Adjoining plains might also see isolated rain during the period.
There is a western disturbance as a trough in westerly winds in the middle troposphere. Another active weather system is an induced cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan at lower tropospheric levels. IMD attributed these systems to the rainfall and snowfall forecast.
“Jet stream winds of order up to 130 knots in upper tropospheric levels (12-14 kilometres above mean sea level) are prevailing along latitude 30° N over Indian region,” it said in a press note.
These systems are very likely to cause light rainfall or snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh from January 11-13.
Forecast from January 11 to Janaury 15, 2023. Source: IMD
Some rainfall or snowfall over Uttarakhand is also expected on January 11 and 12, which may turn into light rainfall/snowfall on January 13 in isolated pockets, according to IMD.
Isolated light rainfall is also likely over Punjab, Haryana and adjoining areas of west Uttar Pradesh from January 11-13.
However, the eastern part of the country will see a gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4°C, with no significant changes thereafter. Central India will see a rise in minimum temperature by 2-3°C, which may fall by 2-4°C hereafter, the met department said.
See more: Simply Put: Weather news during climate crisis
The department has forecast no significant change in minimum temperatures over Gujarat in the next 24 hours. However, temperatures may fall by 3-5°C after that.
Cold Wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan on January 15 and 16.
Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar will continue to see dense to very dense fog in the night and early morning hours, which will stay the same for isolated pockets over the weekend. Prevailing light winds and high moisture near the surface over Indo-Gangetic plains will cause this, the IMD said.
Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, along with parts of Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, will see dense fog in isolated pockets.
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A layer of dense and very dense fog (in white patch) extending from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh at 5.30 am on January 11, 2023. Photo: IMD.png)
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