Dense fog and cold wave conditions prevailed in the National Capital on Monday as the minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 5 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Safdarjung Observatory, the primary weather station in Delhi, had recorded the minimum temperature.

Palam in the National Capital recorded a minimum temperature of 6.5 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal.

Weather stations at New Delhi-Ridge and New Delhi-Ayanagar recorded a minimum temperature of 4.1 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In a tweet, the IMD said, “Cold day/severe cold day conditions are very likely in some parts over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Rajasthan and cold day conditions in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand on 26th and 27th December 2022.”

“Cold wave/severe cold wave conditions are very likely in some/isolated pockets over north Rajasthan during the next 3 days. Cold wave conditions in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi during next 3 days and over Himachal Pradesh during next 2 days,” the IMD said in a tweet.

“Dense to very dense fog is very likely to continue over some parts of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi and West Rajasthan during next 48 hours; and over East Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh during next 24 hours,” the IMD said in another tweet.

Delhi, on Sunday, recorded a minimum temperature of 5.3 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal while the maximum temperature was recorded at 16.2 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal.

In the last few days, several trains have been delayed and some got cancelled owing to a thick layer of fog. Even on Sunday, as many as 10 trains of the Northern Railway ran late due to prevailing fog. The Northern Railway on Saturday had informed that 14 Delhi-bound trains were running late, due to dense fog in the National Capital Region.

Dense fog in the morning reduced the visibility to 50 meters in Delhi.

Haryana too recorded low visibility. While places like Ambala and Hissar recorded a low of 25 meters and 50 meters respectively, visibility in Chandigarh was 200 metres. According to IMD data, places like Sri Ganganagar and Churu in Rajasthan also recorded low visibility of 25 meters and 50 meters, respectively.

North India is in a grip of cold wave conditions as temperatures plummet making life difficult for the people. In the plains of North India, the lowest minimum temperature of 0.0 degrees Celsius was reported over Rajasthan’s Churu, according to the IMD.

Dense fog engulfed parts of Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad, lowering visibility in many areas. As per IMD, “Moradabad will witness a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius while dense fog will continue to persist today.”

Fog and cold wave conditions prevailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad today. Haridwar in UP too witnessed dense fog as the minimum temperature remained below 10 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, in Punjab’s Amritsar, fog and cold wave conditions prevailed as the minimum temperature was recorded at 6.5 degrees Celsius today. In Haryana, thick fog shrouded the city of Ambala.

Rajasthan is experiencing a particularly biting cold winter. “Today, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed at isolated pockets over Rajasthan,” IMD tweeted.

In Rajasthan’s Mount Abu, the dip in temperature caused snowing. People in Mount Abu woke up to snow-covered grounds. The snow froze on the windows of the vehicles. The lowest minimum temperature of 0.0 degrees Celsius was reported over Rajasthan’s Churu in the plains of North India.