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‘Normal’ cold day conditions to prevail in Punjab: IMD
The IMD, in its outlook, has stated that the northwest region that includes Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will experience days of normal cold wave during January month.
Punjab is likely to witness ‘normal’ cold day conditions, and no extreme weather is foreseen this month. The minimum temperature in the state is likely to remain between normal and above normal. This was revealed in the monthly outlook released by the Indian Meteorological Department, on Monday.
The IMD, in its outlook, has stated that the northwest region that includes Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will experience days of normal cold wave during January month.
The IMD further said maximum temperatures in January would be normal to below normal.
AK Singh, head, IMD, Chandigarh, said normal cold day conditions would prevail during January. “Considering prevailing climatological conditions, normal cold conditions have been forecasted in January,” said AK Singh while talking to HT.
The state is witnessing a continuous drop in maximum temperatures as fog continues to prevail. As per the IMD, Punjab’s average maximum temperature had been 7.2 degrees that is below the normal. The highest maximum temperature on Monday was registered in Pathankot district where mercury was recorded at 14. 4 degrees Celsius.
“Both minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to drop further during the week. Biting cold conditions are likely to prevail in the coming days and many weather stations in the state will witness minimum temperatures,” said an official of IMD.
As to the minimum temperatures in the state, Gurdaspur was the coldest in the state as minimum temperature dropped to 6 degrees Celsius. However, as per the IMD, average minimum temperatures were still 3.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
The IMD further said only cold day conditions, when there is a drop in maximum temperatures from normal, were expected in few districts of Majha, Doaba and east Malwa. IMD has already issued an orange alert (be prepared) for cold day conditions for the next few days.
This winter season, so far, there are no cold wave conditions, despite a drop in minimum temperatures from normal in the state so far. While last year, IMD had to issue red alert for cold wave condition as early as on December 19.
