Cold weather conditions continued in several areas of northern India including Punjab, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, and neighbouring Haryana.
Kashmir’s Chillai Kalan, the 40-day period of the harshest winter, commenced in Kashmir this December 2024. According to the meteorological department, Srinagar experienced its coldest December night in five decades at minus 8.5°C.
Intense cold wave gripped the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh as the local weather department issued an orange alert for severe cold in Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi districts for four days from Monday (December 23, 2024).
In Rajasthan, the cold persisted, impacting normal life due to the falling temperatures. Ajmer City experienced fog this morning, with the minimum temperature dropping to 11 degrees Celsius, as per the IMD.
A layer of fog covered parts of Delhi on Sunday (December 22, 2024) morning, with the minimum temperature recorded at 8 degrees Celsius at 5.30 a.m.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, a cold wave occurs when the minimum temperature is 10°C or less for plains and 0°C or less for the hilly regions and negative departure from normal day temperature is 4.5 to 6.4°C. If a negative departure is more than 6.4°C, it is a severe cold wave.
Photo:
Imran Nissar
Tourists enjoy snow covered Doodhpathri Valley in Budgam district Central kashmir, west of Srinagar.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.2°C, making the coldest night of the season this December 2024. The State prepares for the “Chillai Kalan” the harshest winter period.
Photo:
Imran Nissar
Shikaras moored partially frozen surface of the Dal Lake in Srinagar.
A day before the harshest winter period in Kashmir, ‘Chillai Kalan’, the temperature plunged several degrees below freezing point across the valley, with Srinagar witnessing its coldest night of the season so far.
Photo:
Shammi Mehra
Commuters wade through dense fog on a cold winter morning, in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Jalandhar is experiencing frigid weather, with temperatures around 22°C during the day. Recently the region had lows of 2.6°C in Amritsar and 0°C in Faridkot resulting to be Punjab’s coldest areas.
Photo:
Nagara Gopal
People try to keep themselves warm by lighting a campfire in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad is experiencing coldest weather with temperatures falling to 9.7°C this December 2024. 27 districts have recorded minimums below 10°C in Telangana.
Photo:
PTI
The city is seen shrouded in smog on a cold winter morning, in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
Extreme cold conditions continue in Rajasthan with Fatehpur recording low of -0.4°C in December 2024 while Ajmer recorded a low of 5.3°C. Other regions like Alwar and Churu experienced minimum temperatures of 1.5°C and 2.2°C respectively.
Photo:
PTI
A nomadic shepherd from Rajasthan leads his herd of sheep during a cold winter morning, in Gurugram.
The minimum temperature at several places in the state ranged between 1.5 and 10.8 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
Photo:
Kamal Singh
Vehicles ply on road amid low visibility during fog on a cold winter morning, in New Delhi.
Delhi has experienced its coldest December this year, with temperatures dropping to 4.5°C. This marks as the first time in 14 years that early December temperature have fallen below 5°C.
Photo:
PTI
Snow-covered area near the Atal Tunnel after a fresh snowfall, in Manali.
Manali is facing chilly conditions with ice glaciers everywhere in the city with the minimum of -2.1°C this December,2024. the area is under severe cold warning, prompting residents to take precautions against the extreme cold.
Photo:
PTI
Snow-covered area near the Atal Tunnel after a fresh snowfall, in Manali.
Manali is facing chilly conditions with ice glaciers everywhere in the city with the minimum of -2.1°C
Photo:
PTI
Visitors at a beach amid smog, in Mumbai.
Mumbai is currently experiencing the coldest December morning in 9 years, with minimum temperature of 13.7°C. The cold wave is expected to persist for a few more days, with temperatures remaining below 20°C.
Published – December 23, 2024 07:27 pm IST