Cold Wave Alert For Punjab, Haryana and Delhi: Mercury Drop To Five Degrees Or Less
Image: AI-Skymet
Key Takeaways
- Minimum temperatures across the northern plains are fluctuating, with several pockets already dipping to low single digits.
- Punjab and Haryana are closest to meeting cold wave criteria, with Bathinda and Hisar recording 4°C.
- Western disturbances remain weak, limiting widespread temperature drops across the plains in the coming week.
- A more notable fall in minimum temperatures is expected early next week as colder air sweeps in behind these systems.
Minimum temperatures have been fluctuating over most parts of the northern plains. There are unsettled cold wave conditions in some pockets, with temperatures plunging to low single digits at many places and dipping to 4°C at some stations. Bathinda in Punjab and Hisar in Haryana seem to be the lowest with 4°C each, about 4°–5°C below normal. Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Firozpur, Chandigarh, Narnaul, Karnal and Churu recorded single-digit minimums of 5°C this morning. These temperatures are about 4°–5°C below normal.
Cold wave conditions are announced when the minimum temperature drops to less than 10°C and also has a departure of 4.5°C or more from normal. A cold wave is also declared when the mercury in the plains plunges to 4°C or less. With this criterion, many pockets in Punjab and Haryana fall under cold wave conditions. However, these conditions are not firm and grounded yet. In any case, these are still the early days, and the frigid cold is expected to spread over the next 10 days.
There is no active western disturbance likely across the mountains influencing weather in the plains over the next week. Normally, these are the ones that trigger bitter chill across the plains. There is a western disturbance moving across the hills as an upper-air cyclonic circulation. Another one is likely to approach on 05 December. Weather activity will remain confined to the mid and higher reaches. The passage of these systems may arrest any major fall in temperatures over the plains, including Delhi. However, in the rear section of these systems, the sweep of cold air may slump the mercury at many places. A more significant drop is expected at the start of next week.
