North India, including Delhi, is set to experience a cold start to the New Year, with temperatures expected to plummet significantly in the coming days. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a sharp drop in minimum temperatures across several regions, exacerbated by heavy rainfall at the close of the year, which will further intensify the cold wave conditions into the first week of 2025.
Intermittent rain showers continue to affect parts of Northwest India, and the IMD predicts a drop in minimum temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next two days. West and Central India will also witness a similar decrease in temperatures, with the mercury expected to dip by 3-5 degrees Celsius in the next three days. In East India, temperatures are likely to fall by 2-4 degrees Celsius during this period.
Severe cold wave conditions are expected to impact parts of Himachal Pradesh on December 30 and 31, bringing chilling conditions to the region. Isolated pockets in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Rajasthan will also experience cold wave conditions in the first half of January.
In Kashmir, heavy snowfall has led to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, stranding tourists and disrupting flight and railway services, causing widespread inconvenience. Srinagar and other areas in the plains of Kashmir received the season's first snowfall on Friday, covering the region in a blanket of white.
Additionally, the weather department has warned of dense to very dense fog in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan from December 28 to 30. Other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and sub-Himalayan West Bengal, are also expected to experience similar foggy conditions at varying intervals through early January.
As the cold wave sweeps through various parts of the country, residents are bracing for a prolonged winter chill, with disruptions in travel and daily life expected in many regions.
