Delhi-NCR covered in fog, cold wave likely to intensify in northwest India

Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) was covered in thin fog on Tuesday morning for a short period of time. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported said that cold wave conditions may intensify in northwest India. The weather office also said that minimum temperature is expected to see a drop between 2-4 degrees Celsius till February 8.

On Monday, Delhi recorded maximum and minimum temperatures of 20.3 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal and 12.3 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal range. The city received 0.2 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, as per the Met department.

Rainfall is unlikely to occur this week and the weather office has forecast shallow to moderate fog in select parts of India. Maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are expected teeter around 20 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Moreover, the weather office forecast included dense fog conditions in isolated parts of Punjab on February 6. Similar weather conditions are also likely to prevail in parts of Haryana, north Rajasthan, Jharkhand on February 6 and in Odisha till February 7.

Parts of Arunachal Pradesh are likely to report light to moderate rainfall/snowfall till February 7. Isolated to scattered rainfall is, however, expected to occur over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the same time.

IMD's recent weather forecast also included a gradual fall in minimum temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius over many parts of central India till February 10. However, no change in minimum temperatures across remaining parts of north India has been predicted so far.

This intensification of the cold wave may lead to increased health risks such as hypothermia in humans and injury or death to livestock and wildlife. Crop failure is another potential consequence of the prolonged cold conditions.

To cope with the cold wave, residents are advised to stay indoors as much as possible, conserve fuel, eat to supply heat to the body, and drink non-alcoholic beverages to avoid dehydration. When venturing outside, it's crucial to wear tightly woven and water-repellent outer garments, mittens or gloves, a hat, and to cover the mouth to protect the lungs from the severely cold air.

The fog has also been attributed to moisture in the atmosphere following a western disturbance, with calm winds allowing for the formation of very dense fog in the region. This has led to widespread disruptions in air and rail travel, with the National Capital waking up to chilling mornings and temperatures recorded in single digits.

Also Read: ‘Very dense’ fog in parts of Delhi, visibility reduced to 25 m at Palam; flight operations affected