Slight rise in temperature over North India likely on Monday

Some relief from the cold wave conditions in north India is expected on Monday with a slight rise in the temperature in Delhi, south Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

According to a Skymet Weather forecast, a cyclonic circulation is persisting over southeast Rajasthan. The system is likely to intensify and shift further northwestwards. Due to its presence, the wind pattern will change in Rajasthan, hence relief would be seen from cold wave conditions.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the change in temperature in last 24 hours for some major stations of north India, shows cold day to severe cold day conditions over the region.

The day temperature trend on Sunday showed a rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius compared to Saturday over many locations of Delhi and the whole of western UP. Rajasthan saw a fall in the range of 2-6 degrees Celsius. However, eastern UP, Punjab and Haryana showed a mixed tendency and Bihar a slight fall in temperature.

The minimum temperature, in degrees Celsius, recorded at various stations of Delhi on Sunday was 2.8 at Lodi Road, 3.2 at Palam and 3.4 at Safdarjung.

The IMD said in a bulletin that during past 3-4 days (i.e. December 26-29), minimum temperatures had fallen significantly over northern and central parts of India leading to cold wave to severe cold wave conditions over Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh.

Cold day to severe cold day conditions are also continued to prevail over many to most parts of northern India since December 15 and these conditions have further intensified in last 3-4 days with most of stations in the region reporting 8-12 degrees Celsius dip in average maximum temperature.

In its forecast for the next five days, the IMD has said that considering minimum temperatures and its trend, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely in some pockets over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and cold wave conditions in some pockets over sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim and in isolated pockets over Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha on December 30 morning and cold wave conditions very likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and East Rajasthan on December 31 morning but abating thereafter.

( With inputs from IANS )