Cold wave, dense fog in parts of North India; Haryana’s Hisar reports lowest minimum temp at 1.1 degrees C

New Delhi [India]: Dense to very dense fog was reported over Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Eastern Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday morning, with cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailing over most parts of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, the Meteorological department said.

According to the IMD, ‘very dense’ fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, 51 and 200 metres is ‘dense’, 201 and 500 metres ‘moderate’, and 501 and 1,000 metres ‘shallow’.

Airport authorities said that around 30 flights departing from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport were delayed, while 17 flights were cancelled due to weather conditions.

At 8:30 am today, Ayanagar and Safdarjung in the national capital recorded visibility of 25 metres each while Ridge and Palam areas recorded visibility of 50 metres each.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh reported 0 metres visibility at 5:30 am today, while the state capital, Lucknow, reported 25 metres of visibility. Gwalior in West Madhya Pradesh recorded a visibility of 50 metres.

Dense fog was seen over West Rajasthan, with Ganganagar reporting visibility of 50 meters and in Bihar which reported dense fog, visibility from Gaya and Purnea stations were recorded at 200 metres. Dense fog reported over East Madhya Pradesh with visibility in Khajuraho, Satna and Reawa stations reporting visibility of 50 meters each at 8.30 am today.

Dense fog was reported over Jammu Division with a visibility of 50 metres at Jammu airport and over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

The Delhi airport this morning issued an advisory stating, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

A total of 30 trains, bound for Delhi, were also delayed due to the low visibility caused by fog.
Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours over many parts of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on January 17 morning, in some parts on January 17 night and on January 18 morning and Dense fog in some parts for subsequent 24 hours, according to the IMD.

Indian Coast Guard today launched a major rescue operation after a ferry boat with 400 pilgrims ran ground off Namkhana, Kakdwip area near Gangasagar pilgrimage in West Bengal due to poor visibility.

The pilgrims were returning from Gangasagar after taking a holy dip on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Meanwhile, Cold Wave to Severe Cold Wave conditions also prevailed over many parts of Punjab, in isolated pockets of East Madhya Pradesh, northwest Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh.

In Punjab’s SBS Nagar, a 0.4 degree Celsius minimum temperature was recorded in Ballowal Saunkhri.
In Haryana, Mahendragarh recorded 0.7 degree Celsius, Hisar recorded a minimum of 1.1 degree Celsius and at Panchkula, the minimum temperature recorded was 1.8 degree Celsius.

Ganganagar in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of 4.3 degree Celsius.

Temperatures were recorded below normal (-1.6 degree Celsius to -3 degree Celsius) at many places over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, at a few places over Punjab; at isolated places over Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, South Interior Karnataka, Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and near normal over the rest parts of the country.

On January 16, the lowest minimum temperature of 1 degree Celsius was reported at Ludhiana (Punjab) over the plains of the country.

Today morning, the Safdarjung observatory in the national capital registered a minimum of 3.5 degree Celsius. Yesterday, the highest maximum temperature of 35 degree Celsius was reported at Punalur in Kerala.

The Met department has forecast a gradual rise of 2-3 degree Celsius in minimum temperatures, very likely over Northwest India, during the next four to five days. Rise by 3-4 degree Celsius in minimum temperatures is very likely over East India during the next four to five days, IMD said.

Cold day conditions are very likely at a few pockets over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh on Wednesday. Cold wave conditions are very likely at a few places over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and at isolated places over Rajasthan on January 17.

According to the IMD prediction for January 17, dense to very dense fog is very likely at a few places over Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh-Delhi while Dense fog at a few places over Bihar; at isolated places over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

Cold day conditions very likely at a few pockets over Punjab and Haryana-Chandigarh. Cold wave conditions very likely at a few places over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; at isolated places over Rajasthan.

The IMD predicted that on January 18, dense fog is likely at a few pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand and Cold wave conditions likely at isolated places over Rajasthan.

For January 19, it said that dense fog is likely at a few pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand and on January 20, dense fog likely at a few pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi; at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.