Winter has intensified across India with snowfall in the hills and dense fog and cold wave conditions in the plains. The IMD has issued alerts in several northern states due to an active western disturbance.
Snow in Mountains, Dense Fog Hits Plains
New Delhi: December's chill is now showing its full force across the country. Snowfall and biting cold are intensifying in the hilly regions, while dense fog and cold waves are affecting daily life in the plains of North India. The Meteorological Department has issued alerts for several states, warning of a further drop in temperatures in the coming days.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), an active Western Disturbance is located over northern Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir. Along with this, the subtropical westerly jet stream is also active over North India. Wind speeds have reached up to 110 knots at an altitude of approximately 12.6 kilometers, leading to rapid changes in weather patterns and creating conditions for cold, fog, and snowfall.
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The cold spell continues unabated in the Kashmir Valley. The minimum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius, while the mercury dropped to minus 16 degrees at the Zojila Pass. According to the Meteorological Department, light snowfall is expected in the higher reaches of North and Central Kashmir between December 18 and 31. Light rain is also possible in the plains on December 20 and 21.
The weather in Uttarakhand is currently dry, but a biting cold is being felt in the mornings and evenings. Light snowfall is predicted in the higher reaches of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pithoragarh on December 21, with rain expected in the lower areas. In Himachal Pradesh, rain and snowfall are possible in the higher altitudes on December 20 and 21, while a yellow alert has been issued for dense fog in the plains.
The effects of winter have intensified in Rajasthan. The minimum temperature was recorded at 3.7 degrees in Nagaur and 3.8 degrees in Fatehpur, Sikar. In Jaipur, the minimum temperature was 10.7 degrees Celsius, while the cold weather was more pronounced in eastern Rajasthan than in the western parts of the state.
Cold wave to sweep Delhi, UP and 13 other states; Fresh snowfall in hill regions
A red alert has been issued for dense fog in 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Visibility was extremely low in several cities, including Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur. The daytime temperature in Bareilly was recorded 8 degrees Celsius below normal. The meteorological department has also issued a cold day warning.
