Winter Chill Grips North and Central India: Temperatures Plunge to Single Digits as Cold Wave Intensifies
Image: AI-Skymet
Winter has arrived in full swing across North and Central India, with the mercury dipping sharply across several states. In the past 5–6 days, temperatures have dropped by 10 to 11°C over large parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh — marking the most significant cold spell of the season so far.
In many cities, early-winter nights that hovered around 16–18°C have now slipped into single digits. Prominent stations reporting minimum temperatures below 10°C include:
Ludhiana (9.2°C), Karnal (9°C), Pilani (9.5°C), Churu (9.3°C), Sikar (7.5°C), Kanpur (9°C), Rewa (8.2°C), Nowgong (8.5°C), Umaria (8.5°C), Pendra Road (9°C), Ambikapur (7.6°C), Malanjkhand (8.8°C), Bhopal (8.3°C), and Jalgaon (9.2°C).
Why the Sudden Drop?
The sharp fall in night temperatures can be attributed to clear skies and a steady flow of cold, dry northwesterly winds from the snow-covered Western Himalayas. These winds are continuously pushing frigid air into the northern plains, resulting in a sharp temperature decline.
The absence of cloud cover during nighttime has further enhanced radiational cooling, allowing the accumulated surface heat to escape into the atmosphere — a key reason for the rapid drop in minimum temperatures.
No significant Western Disturbance (WD) is expected to impact the Western Himalayas over the next few days, which means the northwesterly flow will persist, maintaining and even intensifying the chill across the plains.
Cold Wave Likely in Several States
According to meteorological criteria, a cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature dips to 10°C or below and the departure from normal is 4.5°C or more.
Under these conditions, cold wave situations are likely to develop over West Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, and Odisha during the next 2–3 days. Residents are advised to prepare for cold mornings and foggy conditions in pockets of North India.
Outlook For Coming Days:
The coming week will see cold nights and cool, comfortable days across most parts of North and Central India. With the continued inflow of dry northwesterly winds, the winter chill is expected to deepen further, marking a decisive shift toward the heart of the winter season after several weeks of fluctuating temperatures.
Warm clothing, early-morning fog advisories, and limited outdoor exposure during late nights and early mornings are recommended, especially for children and the elderly.
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