Chandigarh/Delhi, January 9: A biting cold wave continued to grip large parts of North India on Friday, with weather officials warning that low temperatures and dense fog are likely to persist till January 15, affecting daily life and travel across the region.
Delhi recorded its coldest morning of the winter season, with the minimum temperature dropping to 4.6 degrees Celsius, around 2.3 degrees below normal, while parts of the national capital also witnessed trace rainfall during early hours, intensifying the chill.
“Cold wave conditions are likely to continue over north and northwest India, including Delhi-NCR, over the next few days,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin.
Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh also remained in the grip of severe cold, with minimum temperatures ranging between 3°C and 7°C. Several areas reported chilly mornings accompanied by shallow fog, while strong surface winds further reduced the ‘feel-like’ temperature.
According to the IMD, early-morning fog may turn dense to very dense at isolated places, potentially disrupting road, rail and air traffic. “Visibility during early hours is expected to remain poor at some locations,” an IMD official said.
In Delhi, weather stations reported drizzle at several places including Lodhi Road, Akshardham, Nehru Stadium, RK Puram, Defence Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Tughlakabad, IGNOU, Ayanagar and Deramandi.
The weather office has forecast largely dry conditions during the day, with low daytime temperatures and cold nights expected to continue across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh till mid-January.
