New Delhi: According to India Meteorological Department, severe cold and dense to very dense fog conditions prevailed in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and severe weather conditions are likely to continue for next 2-3 days Is. Department (IMD). According to IMD data, fog enveloped entire north India on Sunday night with reduced visibility in some parts of various states. Punjab’s Bathinda recorded ‘zero’ visibility, according to the IMD data recorded at 11.30 pm on Sunday.
Places like Ambala, Hisar, Bahraich and Gaya also witnessed fog and visibility reduced to 50 metres. According to the data, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh recorded 100 meters of visibility, while Palam recorded 400 meters of visibility.
A thick layer of fog enveloped Delhi on Sunday morning, reducing visibility in the national capital with severe cold wave. On Saturday, the IMD predicted that cold wave and cold day conditions are likely to continue over northwest India during the next two days. Due to continuation of light winds and high humidity near the surface over Indo-Gangetic plains, dense to very dense fog at isolated places very likely to continue over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during night and morning. The Meteorological Department had said that isolated rain would occur in Uttar Pradesh during the next two days and thereafter for the next three days.
Many trains cancelled, flights delayed
According to the Ministry of Railways, hundreds of trains were either canceled or delayed on Sunday due to dense fog and zero visibility in northern India. According to a Railway Ministry statement, 335 trains were delayed due to bad weather, while 88 trains were cancelled. Similarly, many flights were also delayed due to poor visibility at Delhi and other airports in North India.
Holidays extended in many states
In view of the severe cold, many states have extended the winter vacation till January 15. Keeping in view the severe cold, the Uttar Pradesh government had issued a revised notice regarding the holiday in the schools of the state. An official notice has been issued by the District Magistrates in various districts. As per the notice, all schools up to class 8 will remain closed till January 14. The notice further mentions that online classes will be conducted for the students of class 9 to 12 and classes will not be conducted in case of holiday due to any reason. Will be announced on 11 January.
The notice states that the pre-board practical classes will run from 10 am to 2 pm. It has been further said in the notice that there will be no compulsion of uniform in the schools and all the students will be able to wear any kind of warm clothes.
For the last few days, a huge drop in temperature is being recorded in entire Bihar including Patna. In view of this, orders have been issued to close the school. Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh also issued a notice on Saturday to close both government and private schools up to class 10 in the state till January 14. Classes 10 to 14 January,” the DM said in the notice.
Education departments of many states have ordered schools to be closed. Earlier, the Jharkhand government on Sunday issued a notice to close both government and private schools till January 14 for students of class KG to class VII in the state. Regular classes will resume from 16th January. Jharkhand will remain closed till January 14 for students from KG to Class 5 and regular classes will resume from January 16.
The winter vacation in private schools in Delhi has been extended till January 15 amid cold wave conditions in the national capital, said a circular from the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education. Private schools will reopen on January 9 after winter vacation.
The circular said, “In continuation of the earlier circular of DOE (Directorate of Education), all private schools in Delhi are advised to remain closed till January 15, 2023.” The Prime Minister’s Office said this after a high-level review meeting on Sunday. Central government agencies and experts are helping Uttarakhand to prepare a plan to deal with the situation in Joshimath and the safety of the people is the immediate priority.
What does the weather forecast of IMD say?
Meanwhile, the IMD said that cold wave/severe cold wave conditions are very likely to prevail over parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, North Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The IMD on Saturday also issued a red alert for the next 24 to 48 hours, warning of severe cold in parts of North India including Delhi. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of two degrees Celsius on Saturday. In an exclusive interview with ANI, RK Jennamani, a meteorologist with IMD said, “Delhi University Ridge area recorded a minimum temperature of 1.5 degree Celsius today, which is the lowest recorded this season.”
Safdarjung, the capital’s official weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road recorded 2 degrees Celsius. Jennamani said Delhi-NCR is witnessing severe cold conditions and some parts of the national capital are actually colder than some of the popular tourist destinations in the sub-Himalayan region.
The Western Disturbance, which was expected to break the cold wave, has not been very effective. A major part of the North Indian belt including Delhi, North Madhya Pradesh, North Rajasthan, Punjab and West Uttar Pradesh is colder than Shimla, Manali and West Himalayan region, where minimum temperatures have increased.
He said, “The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for the next 24 to 48 hours, warning of severe cold in North India and dense fog in North Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh.” .. will be ‘Orange Alert’.” It will be there on the night of 8th to 9th January as well. After this, there is a possibility of reduction in the cold. We expect a Western Disturbance to take effect from January 10 and hence there will be some respite from the cold from January 9.” In the next 48 hours, people are advised to take all safety measures and avoid venturing out unless absolutely necessary. Avoid.”
(with agency inputs)