Rajasthan, HP, Punjab, Telangana, Odisha, witness cold; pollution worsens in Delhi

New Delhi: Winter has tightened its hold on India, with several states battling extreme cold wave conditions. Among the worst affected are Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Telangana, Odisha, and Delhi, where temperatures have dropped drastically. In Delhi, worsening air quality has prompted the reimplementation of Stage IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle severe pollution levels.

Freezing temperatures: Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir continue to experience freezing conditions. Tabo, in Lahaul and Spiti, recorded a chilling -10.6°C on Monday night, making it the coldest location in Himachal.

Kashmir remains under an icy grip as well, with Srinagar registering a minimum temperature of -3.4°C for the second night in a row. Popular destinations such as Gulmarg recorded -4°C, while Pahalgam, the base for the Amarnath Yatra, dipped to -5°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts mostly dry weather until December 26, with a possibility of light snowfall in higher altitudes on December 21-22.

Delhi faces bone-chilling cold and toxic air: Delhi’s winter intensified as the city recorded a minimum temperature of 4.5°C, 4.1 degrees below normal, marking the fourth instance this December of temperatures falling below 5°C.

Adding to the woes, Delhi’s air quality plunged to the ‘severe’ category, leading to the reimposition of GRAP Stage IV restrictions. Measures include a ban on construction activities, limits on truck entry carrying non-essential goods, and hybrid schooling for all classes except X and XII.

Rajasthan endures subzero temperatures: Rajasthan remains in the grip of a harsh cold wave. Fatehpur, in Sikar district, recorded the state’s lowest temperature at -0.4°C, followed by Churu at 1.5°C. Alwar (2.2°C), Sikar (2.5°C), and Pilani (2.7°C) also experienced frigid conditions. Bhilwara and Chittorgarh were equally cold, with lows of 3.7°C, while Sirohi and Ganganagar recorded 4.9°C and 5.0°C, respectively.

Odisha and Telangana experience sharp declines: Odisha saw temperatures drop to single digits in 15 locations, with Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj recording the state’s lowest at 1°C. Telangana, including Hyderabad, also experienced its coldest spell, with Adilabad dipping to 5.2°C. Patancheru, near Hyderabad, recorded 6.4°C, while Medak registered 9.0°C.

Punjab and Haryana reeling from intense cold: Severe cold continues to affect Punjab and Haryana. Faridkot and Hisar recorded minimum temperatures of 0.6°C, while Ludhiana and Patiala dropped to 3.6°C and 5.3°C, respectively. In Haryana, Gurugram shivered at 5.3°C, with Rohtak at 4.2°C. Chandigarh provided slight relief, with a daytime high of 26.1°C.

Himachal Pradesh under orange warning: The IMD has issued an orange alert for lower hills and plains in Himachal Pradesh, including Una, Bilaspur, and Hamirpur. However, Shimla remained relatively warm, with a maximum temperature of 10.9°C, over 5 degrees above normal. The cold wave is expected to persist, with temperatures likely to dip further in the coming days.