Thu Dec 26 01:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Intense Cold Wave Sweeps Across North India; Heavy Snowfall in Himalayas
**New Delhi, India** – A severe cold wave is gripping northern India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting further temperature drops in the coming days. Heavy snowfall in the Himalayas and an active western disturbance are expected to bring rain to several regions, leading to a significant temperature decline.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for dense fog in Delhi, where light rain is predicted on December 26th. Temperatures in Delhi are expected to reach a high of 23°C and a low of 7°C on Thursday. The minimum temperature on Wednesday was 8.4°C, 1.5 degrees below average. Several districts in Uttar Pradesh are also bracing for heavy fog, with yellow alerts issued for areas including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bahraich on December 26th. Rajasthan’s Pilani and Ganganagar recorded minimum temperatures of 6.6°C, with light rain predicted for Jaipur, Kota, and Udaipur.
The heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh has led to the closure of 226 roads, including three national highways. Temperatures in Tabo, Lahaul-Spiti, plummeted to -10.6°C. Water bodies and supply lines have frozen in the Kashmir Valley, with a further 2-3 degree drop in minimum temperatures expected over the next two days.
Meanwhile, the IMD predicts light rain in Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and parts of Kerala on December 26th and 27th. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also expected to receive rainfall.
First Piper 