Cold wave conditions likely to return after a week's respite. Top updates

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) released its weather forecast for next two weeks, predicting rainfall, snowfall, hailstorm and cold wave conditions in several parts of the country.

North Indian states including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh faced with a fresh spell of cold wave conditions last week due to the movement of western disturbances towards northeast. However, the fresh western disturbance resulted in abating the cold wave starting January 19.

Children are going to school wearing warm clothes on a cold winter morning at Khandsa road near SD High school, in Gurugram, India. (Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

Read| Delhi sees 8th cold wave day this Jan, respite likely today

Similarly, visibility was also impacted in the preceding week due to dense fog conditions in isolated pockets of different northern states, leading to train and flight services being affected.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) released its weather forecast for next two weeks, predicting rainfall, snowfall, hailstorm and cold wave conditions in several parts of the country.

Here are top weather updates by IMD:

1. An active western disturbance is likely to move towards east and intensify further resulting in downpour or snowfall over the western Himalayan region includingn Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from January 20. The intensity of rainfall and snowfall is likely to increase from January 23 to 25.
2. Isolated hailstorm over western Himalayan region has been predicted on January 23 and 24. Light to moderate rainfall is predicted over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh from January 23 to 26, and over Delhi from January 23 to 25. Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are likely to receive light rainfall or snowfall during the first half of next week.
3. Influenced by the easterly wave, light isolated to scattered rainfall is expected over south peninsular and Andaman and Nicobar Islands between January 26 and February 1. Rainfall activity is likely to be above normal across the country.
4. IMD predicted there will be no significant cold wave conditions throughout the country between January 19 and 25. However, isolated pockets over northwest India are likely to experience cold wave conditions from January 26 to February 1.
5. A rise in the minimum temperature by 2 degrees Celsius is expected in several parts of the country till January 20. From January 26, overall minimum temperature to remain below 2-4 degrees Celsius over northwest and central parts. Dense fog is expected in isolated pockets during night and morning hours over Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya and Tripura from January 19 to 21.