North India welcomed the New Year under intense cold conditions, with dense fog and chilly winds disrupting daily life. Snowfall in Himalayan states has worsened conditions, while plains face cold wave and poor visibility affecting road, rail, and air traffic. Over 300 flights were impacted. The weather department has predicted rain in Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh, with dense fog likely to persist for several days.
New Year Starts with Bitter Cold Across North India
New Delhi: With the start of the new year, North India has been gripped by a severe cold wave. Bone-chilling cold and dense fog have disrupted life in most parts of North India, including the national capital Delhi. Rain in the hilly states and strong winds in the plains have further intensified the cold. Visibility has been severely reduced due to the fog, badly affecting road, rail, and air traffic. The Meteorological Department has predicted dense fog for the next four to five days.
Airports in several cities, including Delhi and surrounding areas, have been affected due to low visibility. Nearly 148 flights were canceled at Indira Gandhi International Airport due to low visibility, including both arrivals and departures. Trains are also running late, causing immense inconvenience to passengers. The lack of sunshine has further aggravated the effects of the cold.
The impact of the cold wave is clearly visible in the plains states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The minimum temperature recorded in Amritsar, Punjab, was 6.1 degrees Celsius, while in Dehradun, Haryana, the mercury dropped to 4.2 degrees. Karauli in Rajasthan also recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees. According to the Meteorological Department, heavy rainfall is possible in Uttar Pradesh on January 1st. A severe cold day warning has been issued for Bihar, and a cold day warning for eastern Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
Fresh snowfall has occurred in the Himalayas of the Kashmir Valley, including Gulmarg, Gurez, and Machil. The Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with hailstorms in Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas on January 1st and 2nd. The risk of several roads being closed and affected due to snowfall has increased. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are also experiencing rain and strong winds until January 3rd.
On Sunday, Delhi recorded its coldest day in the last six years. The minimum temperature was 6.4 degrees Celsius and the maximum was 14.2 degrees Celsius, which is significantly lower than normal. A sharp drop in temperature was also recorded in Ahmedabad. The meteorological department has advised people to take precautions against the cold.
