Sub-zero cold in Rajasthan; Delhi records season’s lowest temperature at 2.9°C

The intense cold spell sweeping across north India tightened its grip on Sunday, with parts of Rajasthan recording sub-zero temperatures and Delhi witnessing its coldest night of the season so far at 2.9 degrees Celsius.

The IMD (India Meteorological Department) said cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely to persist for the next few days in several northern states, accompanied by dense to very dense fog in many areas.

Rajasthan freezes below zero

Rajasthan bore the brunt of the cold snap, with Pratapgarh recording a minimum temperature of minus 2 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state, followed by Barmer at minus 1 degree Celsius, according to the local meteorological office. However, some private weather observers mentioned that areas such as Fatehpur Shekhawati in Sikar district recorded temperatures as low as minus 3.5 degrees.

Other key readings included:

• Pilani: 1.2°C

• Sikar: 1.7°C

• Lunkaransar (Bikaner) and Jhunjhunu: 1.9°C

• Churu: 2°C

The mercury stayed below 10 degrees Celsius at most locations, while Jaipur recorded a low of 9.2 degrees Celsius. Eastern Rajasthan witnessed dense to very dense fog, while western districts reported dense fog conditions during morning hours.

Delhi sees first cold wave of the season

Delhi experienced its first cold wave of the winter, with temperatures dipping below 3 degrees Celsius at several places. Ayanagar was the coldest locality at 2.9 degrees Celsius, while Palam recorded 3 degrees Celsius, its lowest minimum in 13 years.

The Safdarjung Observatory, the city’s principal weather station, logged a minimum of 4.8 degrees Celsius, about 2.6 notches below normal, while the maximum temperature settled at 18.8 degrees Celsius, marginally below the seasonal average.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for the capital, warning that similar conditions are likely over the next two days. Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category, with a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 291, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.

In neighbouring Noida, authorities ordered the closure of schools up to Class 8 till 15 January in view of dense fog and severe cold.

Kashmir in grip of Chilla-i-Kalan

Kashmir continued to reel under Chilla-i-Kalan, the harshest 40-day winter period. Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, while Shopian emerged as the coldest location in the Valley at minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the Amarnath yatra, registered minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg recorded minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than the previous night.

Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and Uttarakhand shiver

Several parts of Punjab and Haryana also experienced biting cold. Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab at 1.6 degrees Celsius, while Hisar recorded 2.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest in Haryana.

Other notable readings included:

• Faridkot: 2.9°C

• Amritsar: 3.2°C

• Ludhiana: 4.6°C

• Patiala: 3.8°C

• Chandigarh: 5°C

• Narnaul: 3°C

• Faridabad: 4.2°C

• Rohtak: 4°C

Temperatures in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand also dipped below freezing, with widespread fog reducing visibility across many regions in the morning.

Jharkhand sees cold wave, schools shut

Cold wave conditions were reported in parts of Jharkhand, where temperatures dropped below 10 degrees Celsius in eight districts. Gumla recorded the state’s lowest minimum at 2.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Daltonganj at 4.9 degrees Celsius and Khunti at 5.6 degrees Celsius.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for cold wave conditions in parts of Jharkhand from 13 to 16 January. In Ranchi district, schools up to Class 6 will remain closed till 14 January, while classes for students from Class 7 to 12 will begin at 10 am during this period.

Fog disrupts travel, accident in Bihar

Dense fog continued to disrupt normal life across parts of northwest India and Bihar. In a tragic incident, a man and his daughter were killed and four others injured when their SUV collided with a container truck and another car on the Bakhtiyarpur–Mokama highway in Patna amid poor visibility.

The IMD has warned that dense fog is very likely to persist during morning hours over northwest India and Bihar for the next five days, while cold day conditions may prevail in isolated parts of Bihar till 16 January.

IMD outlook

The weather office said cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on 12 and 13 January, with no immediate respite in sight.

Authorities across several states have advised people to take precautions, particularly the elderly, children and those with respiratory ailments, as the prolonged cold spell continues to affect daily life across north India.

With inputs from PTI