Snowfall in Manali, Shimla, temperature drop in Delhi, cold wave and fog alert: Check detailed IMD weather forecast for North India

New Delhi: Large swathes of North India(BHARAT) continue to grapple with a punishing winter as the India(BHARAT) Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued fresh warnings for snowfall and rain across the Himalayan belt. While the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are expected to turn white, the national capital and its neighboring plains remain shrouded in a thick blanket of fog and biting cold.

Snowfall and Rain in the Hills

The weather agency has predicted scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh today. A fresh Western Disturbance is influencing the region, bringing much-needed precipitation to the higher altitudes.

In Himachal Pradesh, popular tourist destinations like Manali, Shimla, and Kufri-which have seen a relatively dry start to the month-are likely to witness a dip in mercury. While the main towns of Shimla and Manali have remained largely snow-free so far, the higher peaks of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti, including the Rohtang Pass, have already recorded mild snowfall. Dense fog alerts have also been issued for the low hills of Himachal, specifically in Mandi and Bilaspur, through January 8.

Delhi-NCR Braces for Severe Cold

Down in the plains, the national capital is reeling under “very poor” air quality and severe cold day conditions. The IMD forecasts that the cold wave sweeping across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh will persist until Wednesday.

“Cloudy and foggy conditions are expected to prevail over Delhi until tomorrow. We expect a gradual drop of 2-3°C in minimum temperatures over Northwest India(BHARAT) during the next four days,” the IMD stated in its latest bulletin. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature settling around 7.4°C on Monday, with certain areas like Ayanagar and Palam dipping even lower.

Widespread Fog and Temperatures Drop

The chill is not restricted to the north. Cold wave conditions are also likely to impact Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh over the next 48 hours. Rajasthan is expected to see a significant temperature drop from January 8 to 11. Central India(BHARAT), including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, will also witness a decline in night temperatures by 2-3°C.

In Srinagar, a thin layer of fog blanketed the city on Tuesday morning as the Valley remains in the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harshest winter period. Meanwhile, the weather office has also flagged unusual activity in Southern India(BHARAT), predicting heavy rainfall for Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Mahe around January 9 and 10.

Authorities have advised residents to take precautions against the dense fog, which has significantly reduced visibility on major highways, affecting both rail and air traffic in the northern region.