North India is caught in the grip of a cold wave. Down in the plains, biting cold persists as rain makes its presence felt, and the hills witness heavy snowfall. After light showers on Friday and Saturday, Delhi will clear up on Sunday, but expect morning fog and sunshine hiding longer than usual. The national capital continues to experience cold waves. According to IMD, today's minimum temperature is recorded at 9°C.
The coming week will retain its dry and chilly nature. Expecting cold and slight fog on New Year's Eve, outdoor events could face challenges. In the past six years, the New Year's Eve temperature has been consistently at or below 5°C, with a record low of 2.4°C on December 28, 2019. Since 2007, the minimum temperature has remained below 7°C. Similar conditions are expected this year, with temperatures projected to hover around 6°-7°C on the evening of December 31.
Foggy Mornings and Evenings
Fog is expected in some areas of North India starting December 29. Heavy to very dense fog conditions are anticipated in Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, and parts of Rajasthan during the late night or early morning hours from December 28-30. Some areas of Himachal Pradesh may experience cold to severe cold wave conditions on December 30 and 31. Dense fog is expected in Delhi late at night and early morning with partial cloud cover and chances of cold wave conditions in the evening or night.
Source: aajtak
December's Cold and Temperature Trends
The lowest temperature recorded this December was 4.5°C on December 16, 2024. Typically, December's last week is the coldest, but this pattern may shift this year. Last year, the minimum temperature was 4.9°C on December 15. In the past four days, minimum temperatures have ranged between 8°-9°C. Due to cyclonic circulation and related weather activities, wind patterns will shift, halting cold winds in northern plains. Consistent cloud cover will ease nighttime cold, with temperatures possibly reaching 10°-12°C before dropping again and heightening the chill during New Year's celebrations.
Weather Activity in the Past 24 Hours
Widespread snowfall occurred in Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh during the past 24 hours. Scattered rain and snow were seen in Uttarakhand. Hail activity took place in parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. Light to moderate rain was accompanied by heavy rainfall at some spots in Delhi, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. Light to moderate rain affected Punjab, Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and southern Karnataka. Daytime temperature plummeted significantly in northwest and central India.
Weather Projections for the Next 24 Hours
Light to moderate rainfall is possible in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the upcoming 24 hours. Light rain is likely in Kerala, Lakshadweep, western Madhya Pradesh, and central Uttar Pradesh. The western disturbance will move eastwards, bringing clear weather to the mountains and most of the country from December 29 onwards. Minimum temperatures will fall by 3 to 4 degrees across northwest and central India.
