IMD’s alert: Cold will increase from January 16, warning of cold wave and dense fog in many states

New Delhi:The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned in its All India Weather Forecast Bulletin that from January 16, the weather is going to be extremely harsh in large parts of North and North-West India. There is a possibility of cold wave, dense fog and frost in some areas for several days to come. This can have a direct impact on normal life, road and rail traffic as well as air services.

According to IMD, this forecast will be effective from 8:30 am on January 16 to 8:30 am on January 22. During this period, the conditions of cold and fog are expected to be more severe, especially during night and morning.

Alert in many states

The Meteorological Department has said that cold wave may occur in some parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Odisha on January 16. In some areas, cold may persist even during the day, due to which people may face problems in their daily routine.

Double effect of cold and fog in Delhi

Severe cold was witnessed in the capital Delhi during the last 24 hours. Cold wave like situation prevailed in most areas of the city. The minimum temperature was recorded between 2 to 5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature was around 16 to 19 degrees Celsius.

Along with cold, dense fog also increased the problem. Visibility was very low in the morning. Visibility was reduced to only 50 meters in Palam area and 100 meters in Safdarjung. According to weather data, a slight drop has been recorded in the minimum temperature, while there was no major change in the maximum temperature.

Frost threatens crops in Uttarakhand

IMD has issued a warning of frost in some areas of Uttarakhand. Frost can cause damage to standing crops and horticulture, especially in hilly and high altitude districts, where temperatures can drop rapidly at night.

Dense fog will remain for several days

Dense to very dense fog will remain the biggest problem of the weather in the coming days. There is a possibility of fog on different days in many areas of Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Very dense fog is expected in eastern Uttar Pradesh for a few days. This situation may persist till January 21, due to which traffic services will be affected.

Chances of rain and snowfall in Western Himalayas

Along with cold and fog, there may be light to moderate rain or snowfall in the western Himalayan regions, especially Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand between January 16 and 21. Apart from this, there are indications of light rain for a few days in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Western Uttar Pradesh. This change is happening due to western disturbance.

Important advice for people

The Meteorological Department has advised people to pay attention to the weather alerts issued daily. Be careful while driving during fog and avoid unnecessary travel. According to IMD, cold, fog and intermittent rain may continue in North India till the third week of January.