IMD issues 'red alert'; fog and cold day conditions likely to continue in North India

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Seeing no relief in the ongoing weather pattern, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert on Sunday, indicating that dense to very dense fog and cold day to severe cold day conditions are expected to persist over North India for the next 4-5 days.

The IMD further also predicted that cold wave conditions are likely to prevail over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and north Rajasthan during next 3-4 days

In its daily bulletin, the weather forecast agency said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 3-7 degree Celsius over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh, also in some parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh while minimum temperatures of 8-10 degree Celsius are over many parts of East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

“These are below normal by 2- 4 degree Celsius in many parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh, also in some parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and near normal over rest parts of North India. Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 2.8 degree Celsius was reported at Hissar (Haryana),” said the IMD.

“Jet Stream Winds of the order of 140-160 knots at 12.6 km above mean sea level are prevailing over the plains of North India. It is leading to subsidence of cold air and enhancing cold wave/cold day conditions over North India. Similar intensity of Jet Stream is likely to continue during next 3-4 days,” said the IMD.

It said that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in the night/morning over some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh till January 26 morning.

“Dense fog conditions are very likely in isolated places over Delhi on January 22 night and January 25 morning. Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in the night/morning in isolated pockets of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh till January 24 morning” the weather forecast agency said.

The IMD further said that no significant change in minimum temperatures is very likely over northern parts of the country during the next five days.

“Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during Sunday and January 25, over north Rajasthan till January 23,” said the IMD.

“Ground frost conditions are very likely at isolated places over Uttarakhand on Sunday and January 22,” the IMD added.