IMD issues red alert for north India, cold day & dense fog to continue for next five days

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a red alert, saying that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue to prevail over North India during the next five days while cold day to severe cold day conditions are likely to continue to prevail over North India during next three days.

The IMD said that “Jet Stream Winds” of the order of 130-140 knots at 12.6 km above mean sea level are prevailing over the plains of North India.

“It is leading to subsidence of cold air and enhancing cold wave/cold day conditions over North India. Similar intensity of Jet Stream is likely to continue during next 3-4 days,” said the weather forecast agency.

In its bulletin, the IMD said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 2-5 degree Celsius in isolated pockets of north Rajasthan, south Haryana and in the range of 6-10 degree Celsius over most parts of Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, remaining parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

“These are below normal by 2- 4 degree Celsius in isolated pockets of south Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan. Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 2.4 degree Celsius was reported at Bikaner (West Rajasthan) and Kanpur (East Uttar Pradesh),” said the IMD.

The IMD further predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in the night/morning over many parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh till Saturday morning and in some parts for subsequent four days.

“Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in the night/morning in some parts of Uttar Pradesh during Friday and Sunday morning and in isolated pockets for subsequent three days while dense to very dense fog conditions are also very likely to prevail in morning hours in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand till January 23,” said the IMD.

“Cold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely to continue in many parts of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday and in isolated pockets for subsequent three days. Similar conditions are very likely to continue in some parts of Bihar till January 24 and in some parts of Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan till Sunday,” said the IMD official.

The IMD official said that fall in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degree Celsius is very likely over many parts of East India during the next three days and no significant change thereafter.

The IMD also predicted no significant change in minimum temperatures likely over rest parts of north India during the next five days.

“Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely to continue in isolated pockets of Punjab and Haryana on Saturday and Sunday and cold wave conditions till January 22,” said the IMD, adding that ground frost conditions are very likely at isolated places over Uttarakhand till Sunday.