New Delhi:
Parts of north India experienced a dry but cold weather on Sunday, with minimum temperatures hovering above normal limits at most places, while the MeT department predicted snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and higher reaches of Uttarakhand owing to a western disturbance. Delhi has recorded a minimum temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius, according to the weather office.
However, the minimum temperature is likely to dip again with the wind direction changing to northwesterly by Monday and a fresh western disturbance triggering snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and higher reaches of Uttarakhand, IMD officials said. Westerly and north westerly winds blow from snow-laden western Himalayas towards the plains.
Shallow fog is also predicted over the next two days, the IMD said. The city’s air quality was recorded in the upper end of the “very poor” category, and is likely to improve over the next two days due to a predicted increase in the wind speed.
In Kashmir Valley, Gulmarg and Baltal recorded sub-zero temperatures. Baltal was recorded as the coldest place in the valley with a minimum temperature of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius.
The MeT department has forecast rain over the next few days with a possibility of snow in higher reaches owing to a western disturbance affecting the local weather system. The weather remained dry in Himachal Pradesh, with Keylong being recorded as the coldest place in the state at minus 1.7 degrees Celsius.
The weather office has forecast rain and snowfall in mid and high hills of Himachal Pradesh between Monday and Thursday, and rain in plains and low hills on Tuesday and Wednesday. Dry weather also prevailed over Uttar Pradesh, with dense to very dense fog occurring at isolated places over eastern UP and shallow fog over western UP.
State capital Lucknow recorded a minimum temperature of 12.7 degrees Celsius, while Banda recorded a low of 9.0 degrees Celsius. Churk was recorded as the coldest place in the state at 7.0 degrees Celsius.
In Haryana and Punjab, minimum temperatures hovered above the normal limits with Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recording a low of 12.4 degrees Celsius. According to the meteorological department, in Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 11.9 degrees Celsius, up four notches, while Karnal recorded a low of 13.8 degrees Celsius, five more than the normal.
Amritsar in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 12.9 degrees Celsius, eight notches above normal. Maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded above normal in most parts of Rajasthan, an official said.
Regional MeT director R S Sharma said due to the continuous low intensity western disturbance, the wind pattern in Rajasthan has changed and as a result, the temperature has increased. He said another western disturbance will affect northwest India on Monday.
The weather will remain dry for the next five days and there is no possibility of any change in temperature. Due to the effect of an active western disturbance on December 11 to 12, there is a possibility of cloudy sky and light rains in the state.
