Several parts of north India have been shivering under the influence of intensifying cold waves with Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh experiencing sub-zero temperatures. Delhi on Monday received light rains as a thick layer of fog blanketed the national capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall in many north Indian states attributing the showers to an incoming western disturbance.
The IMD has also predicted below-normal cold wave days in northwestern India this winter. Cold wave has been piercing through the states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir since the past few days. The extreme cold led to the freezing of water supply lines and the forming of thin layers of ice on the surfaces of several water bodies
Rainfall alert for these states:
The weather department forecast harsh cold conditions accompanied by rainfall over the next seven days in states of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.
IMD has issued an orange alert for districts in Himachal Pradesh including Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Mandi.
Over the next few days, parts of Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are expected to witness isolated showers. In Punjab, light rain and fog has been predicted in pockets of Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, the IMD has forecast light rain and dense fog for West Bengal’s Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Medinipur districts and Jhargram.
AQI remains ‘severe’ in Delhi
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city remained in the ‘severe’ category and was measured at 403 at 7 am as per the Central Pollution Control Board. (CPCB).
Anand Vihar recorded an AQI at 439, 456 at Ashok Vihar, 473 at Bawana, 406 at CRRI Mathura Road and 430 at Narela.An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and 401-500 is severe.GRAP stage IV measures have been in effect in the entire NCR since December 16 after the deterioration in air quality.
(With ANI inputs)
