The India Meteorological Department has forecast rain over Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana today, whereas fresh snowfall in the hills will further aggravate cold conditions in northern India. Popular tourist destinations of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have turned into winter wonderlands and are attracting enthusiastic visitors. Here's an update in detail:
Rains and falling temperatures
According to the IMD, a fresh western disturbance is affecting the northern plains, with light rain over Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. Already, the minimum temperatures have dipped because of the inclement weather system, with the mercury settling around 18–19°C since last night, with further cooling over the next few days as its impact increases. Icy winds sweeping from the hill states make the air feel even colder, though a clear chill is now definitely affecting much of North India.
Air quality sees temporary relief
Strong, gusty winds and rain in the last 24 hours gave Delhi's 'poor' air quality some respite. The Air Quality Index at Anand Vihar recorded 261 against the 'very poor' category recording in previous days. Meteorologists say rainfall coupled with a change in wind direction has dispersed the pollutants and restricted the flow of stubble smoke coming from Punjab and Haryana.
Fresh snowfall has given a makeover to high-altitude tourist spots in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. While heavy snow in Gulmarg, Sonmarg, Gurez, and Furkin Top in Kupwara sent tourists into raptures, similar conditions have persisted in Kargil and Leh regions of Kashmir, which also include Khardung La and Shinkula. In Himachal Pradesh, hills of Rohtang Pass, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur are wrapped under a thick blanket of snow. Temperature plummeted to below the freezing point at places like Tabo at -2.2° C and Keylong at -0.4° C. Shrines in Uttarakhand, Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Hemkund Sahib, too are under snow, further intensifying the cold wave.
IMD issued a light rainfall warning for Punjab, today as the western disturbance is passing through.
The snowfall in high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu-Kashmir will continue and may even increase further. Cold winds and a considerable fall in temperatures will continue to prevail in the plains for the next few days.
The AQI might improve temporarily with ongoing rain and winds but can also deteriorate to poor levels again as the dry conditions return. Dox Federation asks residents to stay warm and keep an eye on weather advisories, especially while traveling in hilly areas where roads may be blocked due to snow. Impact on daily life Winter has finally arrived in North India.
Morning fog and cold breezes are disturbing the routine morning habits, and schools and offices are advising people to wear warm clothes to keep themselves warm. Rain in the plains and snow in the hills not only disturb traveling and tourism patterns but also contribute to tamping down Delhi and NCR's pollution levels at least for some time.
People have been asked to exercise caution by local authorities, especially in high-altitude areas, in view of slippery road conditions and disruption of travel services in the wake of fresh snowfall. This turn in weather heralds the official start of North India's winter, with more cold spells expected over the weeks ahead.