Cold wave grips north India: This is the coldest place today

Several parts of north India are witnessing cold wave conditions, which are very likely to continue over the next few days, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Several parts of north India are witnessing cold wave conditions, with Ladakh's Padum town recording a minimum temperature of -25 degree Celsius on Monday. The cold conditions are very likely to continue over the next few days, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. In a press note, the weather agency said, “Dense to very dense fog in the night or morning hours in some or many pockets over north India, including Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh is likely to continue during the next five days.” Due to the weather conditions, some states have extended the winter holidays in schools or changed the timings. Meanwhile, the weather agency also said that the minimum and maximum temperatures in January are most likely to remain below normal over many parts of central India and adjoining areas of peninsular, east, and northwest India.

People warm themselves around a bonfire on a cold winter morning at Ghazipur market in New Delhi (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

Here is the list of the places experiencing biting cold:

Ladakh

Ladakh's Padum on Monday recorded a minimum temperature of -25.1 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg saw a minimum temperature of -10 degrees Celsius.

Punjab and Chandigarh

The Punjab government extended winter holidays in all the government, private and government-aided schools till January 8 due to the cold wave conditions in the state.

School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains wrote on Twitter: “Due to the severe cold and fog in the state, in view of the health and safety of school students and teachers, holidays have been extended from January 2 to January 8 in all government, aided, recognised and private schools of Punjab.”

Uttar Pradesh

According to the IMD, a minimum temperature of 5.4 degrees Celsius was recorded on Monday morning in Kanpur. Amid the cold wave, the Lucknow district administration has changed the school timings for classes 1 to 8 till January 10. The classes will be held between 10 am and 2 pm Monday onwards.

UP's Sitapur District Magistrate (DM)also extended holidays for students of classes 1 to 12 of all schools in the district till January 4. Meanwhile, the Gorakhpur DM directed the closure of government and other recognized schools from LKG to class 8 for two days on January 2 and January 3 in view of the cold conditions.

Haryana

The Haryana government has extended winter break in all schools till class 8 till January 8.

Bihar

In Patna, the district magistrate extended the winter break of all government and private schools till January 7 in view of the cold wave and fog.

Delhi

After a brief respite on New Year, cold wave conditions returned to the national capital on Monday. According to the IMD, a minimum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius was recorded. Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi has deteriorated and is under the ‘very poor’ category with the AQI reaching 301.

Rajasthan

Some parts of Rajasthan are witnessing cold conditions with the major cities recording minimum temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

On Saturday night, Fatehpur of Sikar was the coldest at 1 degree Celsius, followed by Churu - which recorded a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees Celsius.

(With inputs from agencies)