Cold winds from Himalayas bring down the mercury

Large parts of northwest India are experiencing “cold day” to “severe cold day” conditions where the maximum or day temperatures,too, have recorded a decline.

Many parts of Punjab, Haryana and West Rajasthan recorded at least 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal day temperatures on Sunday due to an overcast sky. In a bulletin issued on Monday, the India Meteorological Department said minimum temperatures over most parts of northwest India are expected to fall by three to five notches during the next four days.

Large parts of north India are already witnessing foggy conditions. However, no significant change has been forecast over most parts of central and east India during the next two-three days, but it can fall by up to four notches thereafter, the IMD said.

“What we are seeing now is that several parts of northwest India are experiencing severe cold day conditions. But cold wave may also impact these regions from December 17. While cold day conditions are associated with overcast sky which hasn’t allowed the day temperature to rise, even night temperatures will start falling. An intense western disturbance has passed and winds have changed to north-westerly direction bringing icy cold winds to the plains,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.

K Sathi Devi, head, national weather forecasting centre, said:“The cold day conditions in northern states were mainly due to fog, clouding and incursion of very cold air following a western disturbance. Minimum temperatures have also started dropping since there is no WD expected and the previous WD has left a lot of snow on the hills.”

Meanwhile, several locations in Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh witnessed subzero minimum temperatures on Monday.