Northwest India in cold wave's clutches, meteorological department issues alert
Cold wave and dense fog conditions are likely to prevail over the plains of north India, especially the northwestern region, for the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said while issuing an alert on Monday. The forecast reportedly said that Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and north Rajasthan would continue to experience cold wave conditions, along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Why does this story matter?
- The Indo-Gangetic plains were gripped by a cold wave in the last week of December with Delhi recording a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius on Christmas. However, people got a brief respite around New Year's Day.
- Nevertheless, very dense fog blocked out the sun, resulting in low daytime temperatures in the region and deteriorated air quality index (AQI).
Southern India to experience above-normal rainfall, temperature
The IMD has predicted below-normal rainfall this month for east and west Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh at 78% of Long Period Average (LPA). Meanwhile, the southern peninsula, northeast India, and pockets of northwest, east, and east central India might witness normal to above-normal maximum temperatures, along with normal to above-normal rainfall in southern and central India.
IMD monitoring central, east-central India for aberrations
Delhi's homeless brave biting cold as shelters overwhelmed
The homeless population in the national capital is struggling to seek shelter and keep themselves warm as Delhi's 195 homeless shelters can accommodate only around 19,000 people, leaving tens of thousands destitute. Dense fog resulting in lower daytime temperatures and "very poor" air quality is bringing no respite to the homeless amid poor upkeep of some shelters.
36 districts of UP on alert, schools closed in Lucknow
In view of the cold wave and dense fog conditions, the weather department has sounded an alert for the next two days in 36 districts of Uttar Pradesh. It predicts that the minimum temperature could drop 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal in many districts, especially in east UP. The Lucknow district magistrate issued an order to close all schools from Wednesday to Saturday.
