Light Rain, Temperature Rise Predicted for Delhi. Clearer Sky in Punjab But Fog Shrouds East UP, Bihar

In a relief, fog conditions over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and West UP “significantly improved” on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the current western disturbances and consequent stronger surface winds have led to the clearer skies.

The improvement in weather conditions in Punjab have come on a day when Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from Ludhiana district’s Doraha. There was, however, no respite for east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as dense to very dense fog continued in these regions.

North India to See Another Cold Wave; Temp Could Go as Low as -4 Degrees

After weeks of bone-chilling temperatures, dense fog, another cold wave is on the cards for North India, with temperatures expected to dip as low as -4 degrees Celsius.

A weather expert has predicted “never seen temperatures” in the region from January 14 to 19th. The peak of this cold wave is set to be from January 16 to 18th where temperatures could hover between -4 degrees to 2 degrees.

While there was an improvement in fog conditions, ‘smog’ engulfed the national capital, with air quality dipping to “very poor” and an overall AQI of 312. Nearly 23 trains were reported running late in the Northern Railway region due to hazy skies.

Rain Predications

The IMD has said that the cold wave conditions have abated from the plains of northwest India and no cold wave is likely over North India during the next 4 days.

The IMD also said that due to fresh western disturbances, isolated light rainfall is also likely over parts of Punjab, Haryana and adjoining areas of western UP from January 11 to 13.

According to a report in India Today, the minimum temperature in the capital is likely to rise to 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday amid cloudy weather and light rain. Clouds trap the heat, which gets through during the day, keeping the night time temperatures above normal.

Cold wave conditions are, however, predicted to return to the plains of northwest India after the western disturbance retreats and frosty northwesterly winds start blowing from the snow-covered mountains.

Fog-related Accidents

The dense fog also led to death of six people in Uttar Pradesh a day ago. A truck mowed down six people, aged between 33 and 74, standing at a roadside tea stall in Rae Bareli district. Four more people were injured in the accident on the Banda-Bahraich highway.

On Tuesday, six foreign tourists from the US, who were going from Delhi to Agra, were injured in a road accident due to heavy fog, on Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district. The two Indian drivers with them were also injured. In another accident, a man was killed in Agra district when a truck collided with a car.

Spurt in Respiratory Cases

People from all age groups are witnessing health issues and those suffering from cold are taking significant time to recover. Even doctors are surprised as people suffering from seasonal fever and cold, which used to be cured within three to five days, are taking long duration to recover despite regular medication.

Health experts have attributed to increasing pollution as reason for this. The number of patients visiting hospitals in Gautam Budh Nagar has increased by about 15 to 20 per cent. Most of them are facing difficulty in breathing amidst the deteriorating air quality.

According to Assistant Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chandan Soni, increasing pollution and cold is proving fatal for children below 10 years of age and people above 50 years.

Cooler Nights in Mumbai

The IMD has forecast a dip in night temperatures in the financial capital over the weekend. This is owing to the chilly northern winds that have started to blow from the Himalayas towards the western part of country.

A report in Times of India quoted IMD’s 24 hour forecast for Mumbai and adjoining areas and stated that the minimum temperatures are likely to dip to 16 degrees.

Snowfall has been occurring in several north Indian states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. On Wednesday minimum temperatures recorded by the IMD Santacruz observatory continued to stay below 20 degrees at 17 degrees. Meanwhile, minimum temperatures recorded by the IMD Colaba observatory stood at 20 degrees, the report stated.

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