IMD predicts dip in Delhi-NCR temperature from Sunday

New Delhi: Temperatures in Delhi-NCR are likely to dip from Sunday, the India Meteorological Department has predicted, as icy northeasterly winds from the snow-covered mountains have already started blowing towards the plains.

The western disturbance, which had brought reprieve from a cold spell in large swathes of north and northwest India, has begun to retreat, it said.

Large parts of north and northwest India recorded below-normal maximum and minimum temperatures on most days this month before the western disturbance brought relief, an IMD official said.

This was due to a layer of dense fog persisting over the Indo-Gangetic plains for the past 10 to 11 days and a large gap between two western disturbances that allowed frosty winds from snow-clad mountains to blow in for a longer-than-usual period, he added.

The weather office had earlier predicted the temperatures to plummet in Delhi-NCR next week, forecasting the minimum temperature to settle around 3 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday, the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average. The maximum temperature was recorded at 18.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

The weather office predicted shallow fog for Sunday with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 17 and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively.

It also forecast a cold wave over many places in Delhi-NCR between Monday and Wednesday.

In Punjab, the ongoing cold conditions intensified on Saturday, with mercury further dipping at many places.

Bathinda and Amritsar reeled under severe cold as minimum temperatures hovered close to the freezing point. Bathinda recorded a low of 0.6 degrees while the minimum temperature in Amritsar settled at 1.2 degrees.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a maximum temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature in Sirsa settled at 17.5 degrees Celsius, 15.5 degrees in Hisar, 14.8 degrees in Rohtak, 14.7 degrees in Bhiwani.

In Himachal Pradesh, Manali received 23 cm of snow followed by 16 cm each in Khadrala and Shillaro, 12 cm in Kufri, 10 cm in Bharmour, 6 cm each in Shimla and Gondla, 4 cm each in Dalhousie and Kalpa and 3 cm each in Hansa and Keylong.

The Met station in Shimla here has predicted dry weather in the region for the next four days and cautioned of dense fog and cold waves in the low hills till Tuesday.

Tourists made a beeline to resorts in Shimla, Manali and Kufri after a fresh snowfall, increasing the occupancy in hotels to almost 70 per cent.

As many as 7,164 vehicles had entered Shimla through Shoghi border in 12 hours till 8 pm on Friday.

The occupancy in hotels is expected to further rise by 10 per cent by the evening, vice president of Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Association Prince Kukreja said. The police have advised the tourists to keep in mind the heavy inflow of traffic to Shimla before planning their trip, drive safely at slippery points and call 0177-2812344 or 112 in case of emergency.

In Jammu and Kashmir, night temperatures settled below the freezing point across the Valley. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.1 degrees Celsius on Friday night.

Qazigund registered a minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.2 degrees.

The minimum in Kupwara, a frontier district, settled at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam in Anantnag district, registered a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday, three avalanches hit Ganderbal and Bandipora districts of Jammu and Kashmir, but there was no loss of life, officials said.

They said avalanche warnings had been issued for 12 districts following moderate to heavy snowfall on Friday. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley’s connectivity with the rest of the country was restored on Saturday with the Srinagar-Jammu national highway reopening for traffic and flight operations also resuming here a day after a snowfall, officials said.

Air traffic to and from the Kashmir Valley was restored after the airport was cleared of snow and visibility improved. However, several morning flights were delayed and some were cancelled.

Fresh feeble western disturbances are likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir from January 19 to 25. Light to moderate rain or snow is likely between January 23 and 24.