IMD predicts cold wave, dense to very dense fog in several states including Delhi 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted dense to very dense fog and cold wave conditions in several states including Delhi during the next five days. 

Fog is likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh during the next 4-5 days while cold wave conditions are expected to strike Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, and north Rajasthan till 24 December, the weather department said in its latest bulletin.

In the past 24 hours, minimum temperatures were in the range of 2-4 degrees Celsius over Punjab and adjoining Haryana and north Rajasthan. Cold wave conditions were observed in the isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, and north Rajasthan.

Dense Fog 

Today, the IMD said due to moisture and light winds at lower tropospheric levels over the Indo-Gangetic plains, dense to very dense fog in some pockets is very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh in the night and morning hours during the next three days and dense fog in isolated pockets for subsequent 2 days. "Dense fog in isolated pockets also very likely over Bihar and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next 2 days," it said.

As per the bulletin, no significant change in minimum temperatures is likely over northern parts of India during the next 4-5 days.

Cold Wave

Due to dry north-northwesterly winds from the Himalayas, cold wave conditions are likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and north Rajasthan during the next 4-5 days, the weather department said.

The IMD has also predicted a low-pressure area over central parts of the South Bay of Bengal. It said a low-pressure area lay over central parts of the South Bay of Bengal and adjoining east equatorial Indian Ocean and is likely to move west-northwestwards slowly towards the Sri Lanka coast during the next two days.

Due to this, sea condition is likely to be rough and fishermen are advised not to venture into the Andaman Sea Southeast Bay of Bengal (on 19 Dec), Southwest Bay of Bengal, and along and off the Sri-Lanka coast (19-20 Dec), and Southwest Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar and along and off Tamil Nadu coast (20-22 Dec).

These weather conditions are likely to cause heavy rainfall at isolated places over south Tamil Nadu on 23 December.