According to a recent notification from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a Western disturbance is expected to cause a variety of weather conditions across the country. The Indo-Gangetic zone is bracing for severe fog and winter, while snowfall is forecast in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days.
IMD has specifically forecasted very dense fog conditions over Punjab until tomorrow evening and morning. Uttar Pradesh is also set to experience very dense fog during the midnight and morning hours until January 4, reducing visibility to less than 50 meters and posing challenges for road travel.
The National Capital Region, including Haryana and East Uttar Pradesh, is likely to be enveloped in very dense fog during midnight and morning hours until January 1. Similarly, Uttarakhand is predicted to be affected by Western Disturbance and dense fog conditions, with visibility ranging from 50 to 200 meters until January 4.
North Madhya Pradesh, north Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal are expected to witness dense fog until January 1, while the northeastern states, including Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura, are likely to experience dense fog until January 2.
Cold-day conditions are anticipated in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan today, according to IMD.
Furthermore, IMD predicts light rainfall/snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand today. Additionally, light isolated rainfall is expected over Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh from January 1 to 3.
Over the weekend, Kashmir faced frigid cold wave conditions, with minimum temperatures in Srinagar dropping to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius. The region is currently in the midst of the 40-day harsh winter period known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan,’ which is expected to conclude on January 31 and may witness snowfall.
IMD foresees a gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 2-3°C over the next two days. However, parts of Central and Northwest India are likely to experience a decrease in maximum temperatures by 2-3°C during the same period. Adding to the weather variations, a fresh easterly wave and low-pressure area are expected to bring light to moderate rainfall over south Tamil Nadu, south Kerala, and Lakshadweep until January 3.
As citizens brace themselves for these diverse weather conditions, authorities urge caution, particularly in areas experiencing very dense fog, snowfall, and rainfall, emphasizing the importance of staying informed and taking necessary precautions.