Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are prevailing over north-west India. Churu in Rajasthan recorded - 0.3 degree on December 18 and -0.1 degree on December 19. In fact, many districts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan as well as isolated pockets of Gujarat have been witnessing minimum temperatures between 2 and 3 degree. Amritsar in Punjab also recorded almost freezing temperature that is 0.6 degree.
Naliya in Gujarat also witnessed severe cold wave condition as temperature dipped to 2.5 on December 18. Minimum temperature in Naliya was 9 degree below normal. Parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh were witnessing cold day conditions due to persistent dense fog. Now the intensity of fog has decreased over Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan leading to abatement of cold day from most parts of the state. Cold day to severe cold day conditions are still persisting over north west Uttar Pradesh. Bareilly recorded maximum of 11.6 degrees that was 11 degrees below normal.
Icy cold winds from Western Himalayas will continue over Indo-Gangetic plains as well as Central part of the country for another 24 hours. Fresh western disturbance will approach Western Himalayas from December 21st. Wind speed will decrease, and wind direction will also change, leading to increase in minimum and maximum temperatures over Northwest India. Cold wave conditions to decrease from some parts of Northern Plains. Minimum temperatures of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra are expected to drop further during the next 2-3 days leading to intensification of cold wave conditions over these states.
