The IMD has predicted cold wave conditions in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for at least three days, starting from December 23
Delhi experienced a foggy morning on December 23, even as parts of the national capital received light showers. The minimum temperature recorded in the city stood at 8.6 degrees Celsius, according to the Safdarjung Observatory, the regions' primary weather station.
However, the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi improved to 389 today from the 24-hour average of 409 at 4pm yesterday, stated an India Today report.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in its weekly weather forecast, has predicted moderate to dense fog in some parts of Delhi-NCR in the upcoming days until December 26.
Forecast for December 23: Delhi-NCR is likely to have a cloudy sky with the possibility of light rains during the day. IMD has also predicted smog and shallow fog in most of the parts of the city in the evening and night.
Forecast for December 24: The sky is expected to be mostly clear with smog or moderate fog in most places and dense fog in isolated places in the morning, followed by shallow fog in the evening.
Forecast for December 25: The sky is expected to be mostly clear, according IMD forecasts, with moderate to dense fog in the morning. The wind speed is expected to increase from 4 kilometers per hour (kmph) in the morning to 8-10 kmph during afternoon, gradually decreasing to less than 6 kmph at night.
Forecast for December 26: The sky is likely to be partly cloudy and there are chance of light rains during the night. Smog and shallow fog is likely to persist in most parts and moderate fog in isolated parts during the day. Wind speed is expected to be sluggish in the morning at 4 kmph, pick up pace in the afternoon (8-10 kmph), and settle to less than 4 kmph by evening and beyond.
According to IMD, light rainfall is expected in northern India, including in parts of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the coming week. Whereas the Western Himalayan region is expected to see light to moderate rainfall and snowfall. As per the IMD, this is because of Western Disturbance (lying as a cyclonic circulation) over Pakistan and surrounding areas and an induced low pressure over northwestern Rajasthan area. IMD had in an earlier release said that these systems are likely to interact with easterly winds leading to high moisture coming from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal till December 28.
The IMD has issued orange and yellow alerts for respective districts impacted by cold wave conditions and dense fog. Among the affected areas are Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana.
Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are expected in some parts of Himachal Pradesh between December 24 and 26 along with dense fog, according to the IMD warning. It also forecasted cold wave conditions in parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
This week, dense fog conditions are likely to prevail during late night or early morning hours in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.
Cold wave conditions have persisted in the lower hills and plain areas of Himachal Pradesh since the past week. Several areas in Punjab and Haryana have also been reeling under intense cold conditions.