Cold wave wreaks havoc in North India: Snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, mercury drops to 1.1 degrees Celsius in Punjab; Delhi on yellow alert

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Severe cold wave gripped the hilly and plain areas of North India on Saturday. Temperatures have remained below zero for the past several days in the Kashmir Valley, while Delhi recorded the coldest morning of this winter season so far. The minimum temperature in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, was recorded at 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state. This is the first time this season that the temperature has dropped so low. Other cities in the state also experienced severe cold. The minimum temperature in Amritsar was 1.3, Faridkot and Gurdaspur 3.2, Bathinda 3.4, Chandigarh 4.0, Patiala 4.4, Rupnagar 4.5 and Ludhiana 5.0 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave wreaks havoc in North India: Snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, mercury drops to 1.1 degrees Celsius in Punjab; Delhi on two-day yellow alert: Dense fog enveloped many areas on Saturday morning. Visibility was less than 50 meters in some districts. The Meteorological Department has predicted cold day-like conditions at some places. Cold day conditions are considered when the maximum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius. According to the Meteorological Department, Chandigarh, due to snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and upper areas of Himachal Pradesh, many districts of Punjab have become extremely cold. Cold wave wreaks havoc in North India: Snowfall in Himachal mountains, mercury drops to 1.1 degrees in Punjab; Delhi is in the grip of two-day yellow alert.

Saturday morning in Delhi was the coldest of the season. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for two days due to the continuous drop in temperatures. The minimum temperature in the capital was recorded at 4.2 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees below normal, the lowest so far this winter.

The minimum temperature has dropped by about four degrees Celsius over the past four days. Dense fog at Indira Gandhi International Airport reduced visibility to 50 meters at 7:30 a.m. By 8:30 a.m., the fog had cleared somewhat, and visibility improved to 100 meters.

There is currently no possibility of rain or snowfall in Uttarakhand, from the mountains to the plains. Due to dry weather, the state is grappling with a dry cold. Frost in the hilly areas and fog in the plains continue to affect the region. Due to the drop in minimum temperatures, morning and evening cold is bothering people. A yellow alert has been issued regarding frost in the hilly areas and dense fog in the plains.

Haryana is also reeling under severe cold due to the influence of cold northwestern winds. The state's average minimum temperature was recorded at 4.8 degrees Celsius, 2.9 degrees below normal. Mahendragarh experienced the season's coldest night on Friday-Saturday night, with a low of 1.6 degrees Celsius. According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature dropped below 5 degrees Celsius in all districts of the state except Mewat and Ambala.

Rajasthan is also experiencing freezing cold due to a cold wave. The continuous drop in temperature is affecting public life. A holiday has been declared in 26 districts of the state until Monday. The Meteorological Department has predicted a cold wave in a dozen districts on Sunday as well. On Friday night, the minimum temperature in Jaisalmer was recorded at 2.2 degrees Celsius, while the temperature in Sikar dropped below three degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, dense fog in northern India has caused numerous vehicle accidents. Four people have died and approximately 30 others have been injured in these accidents. The worsening cold and fog conditions have significantly impacted public life.