An intense cold wave continued to sweep Delhi-NCR and adjoining regions on Saturday, as residents woke up to a dense fog cover and freezing temperatures.
The mercury plunged to a bone-chilling 4.7 degrees Celsius in the national capital on Friday, making it the second-lowest minimum temperature recorded on Republic Day in a decade. Visibility also dropped substantially due to the foggy conditions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that cold wave conditions are likely to prevail over the next 2-3 days. Minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 5 degrees Celsius during this period.
The extreme weather has severely impacted rail and air connectivity in the region. Around 25 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport this morning. Several trains departing from the New Delhi railway station were also running behind schedule by 3-4 hours due to poor visibility, causing inconvenience to passengers.
Meanwhile, a few districts in Himachal Pradesh witnessed mild snowfall after a long dry spell. Higher reaches near Rohtang Pass and areas of Chamba, Kullu, and Lahaul received occasional snowfall.
The Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneshwar also forecasts cold to severe cold wave conditions over parts of Odisha over the next 48 hours. Minimums are likely to plunge below normal in districts such as Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Angul, and Keonjhar due to icy winds from the northwest direction. Residents have been advised to take precautions while venturing out early in the morning.
