Houseboats moored along the banks of the Jehlum River in Srinagar, December 30, 2024.
Cold wave conditions intensified across Kashmir on December 31, 2024, as meteorologists predicted fresh spells of light to moderate snowfall in the Valley this week. In Uttar Pradesh, maximum temperatures plummeted by over 5 degrees Celsius, affecting large areas.
Also Read: North India continues to endure cold wave conditions
Parts of Rajasthan felt the intense chill, while Haryana and Punjab grappled with biting cold.
Gulmarg recorded frigid temperatures at minus 11.5 degrees Celsius, marking it as one of the coldest areas in north Kashmir.
The base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, Pahalgam, reported a minimum temperature of minus 8.4 degrees Celsius.
Srinagar experienced a temperature drop to minus 3.5 degrees Celsius. The gateway town of Qazigund logged a low of minus 7.5 degrees, while Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded minus 5.6 degrees Celsius.
Light snowfall is forecasted for New Year’s Day, with moderate snowfall expected to follow later in the week.
Western Disturbance on the Horizon
A minor western disturbance is set to impact Kashmir on January 1-2, with possible light snow in scattered regions. A strong to moderately active western disturbance is anticipated to arrive from January 3-6, likely resulting in widespread snowfall, particularly between January 4-6, with heavy snow expected in some higher altitudes during the second spell.
Kashmir is currently experiencing ‘Chillai-Kalan’, known as the harshest winter phase, which commenced on December 21.
The last day of the year in Delhi was marked by an overcast sky, with maximum temperatures recorded at 17.7 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees below normal.
Minimum temperatures in the capital settled at 9.6 degrees Celsius, slightly above the normal range.
Uttar Pradesh reported significant drops in maximum temperatures, exceeding 5 degrees Celsius across at least 50 districts, according to the weather office in Lucknow.
The intense cold is projected to persist until Wednesday, with minimum temperatures resting around 13 degrees Celsius.
Daytime temperatures hovered near 15 degrees Celsius, leading to a reduced difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures.
Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the meteorology department in Lucknow, explained that stability in the lower troposphere has obstructed radiational heating during the day and cooling at night, resulting in a reduced temperature differential.
Cold conditions continued to affect parts of Rajasthan, with the western region recording particularly low temperatures. Sriganganagar and Lukaransar saw minimum temperatures dip to 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Narnaul was the coldest in Haryana, reporting a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius. The nights in Hisar, Bhiwani, and Sirsa were also notably cold.
In Punjab, Bathinda recorded a minimum of 5 degrees Celsius, while Sangrur and Faridkot saw lows of 5.3 and 6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In Uttarakhand, an influx of tourists flocked to scenic locations, drawn by clear weather and sunny conditions following heavy snowfall as the new year approached.
In eastern regions, Jharkhand is bracing for a notable temperature drop of 3 to 5 degrees over the next couple of days, according to meteorological reports. Cold day conditions, paired with dense fog in certain areas, are expected to linger as the State welcomes the new year.
Published – January 01, 2025 03:04 am IST
