"Unprecedented Cold Wave Sweeps Hyderabad: North India Faces Frigid Temperatures Below Freezing!"

Hyderabad and several regions of Telangana saw a significant dip in temperatures on Monday, with some areas experiencing cold wave conditions and mercury levels falling to single digits.

P24 News Media

December 17, 2024

1 minute

India

Across various regions of India, cold wave conditions have been experienced recently, notably in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Telangana, Odisha, and the capital city, Delhi. The drastic drop in temperatures has led to an alarming decline in the Air Quality Index (AQI), which has fallen into the 'severe' category. Consequently, authorities have found it necessary to reinstate Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions to mitigate the situation.

In Gurez Valley, situated in Bandipora district, the landscape is blanketed in snow, providing a picturesque yet chilling scene. Recent reports indicate that temperatures in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir have dipped below freezing. Tabo, located in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, recorded frigid temperatures of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night, while the minimum temperature in Srinagar fell to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.

Turning to Delhi, the city reported a minimum temperature of 4.5 degrees Celsius, which is significantly below the seasonal average. This marked the fourth occasion in December where temperatures have dropped below 5 degrees Celsius, particularly affecting areas such as Pusa. With the combination of intense cold and deteriorating air quality, authorities reimposed GRAP 4 restrictions starting Monday night. This plan includes a ban on all construction activities due to the severe air quality, as well as a prohibition on the entry of polluting trucks carrying non-essential goods into the city. Furthermore, school classes for grades X and XII are mandated to shift to a hybrid learning mode.

Kashmir continues to experience severe cold conditions, with minimum temperatures consistently remaining well below freezing. On Monday, Srinagar's temperature mirrored the previous night's reading of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius. In contrast, Gulmarg recorded slightly lower temperatures at minus 4 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam observed a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius, indicating a marginal decline from the previous night’s minus 4.8 degrees Celsius.

The local meteorological office forecasts mainly dry conditions to persist until December 26, predicting possible light snowfall in higher areas of the valley on the evenings of December 21-22. However, minimum temperatures are expected to drop further, and a cold wave is forecasted to affect numerous stations across the region in the coming days.

In Rajasthan, extreme cold conditions have also gripped the region, with Fatehpur in Sikar district recording a low of minus 0.4 degrees Celsius. The weather department noted that numerous areas in the state are experiencing significant temperature drops, with several locations registering below 10 degrees Celsius. For instance, in Churu, the temperature was noted at 1.5 degrees, followed by Alwar at 2.2 degrees, and Sikar at 2.5 degrees.

Odisha has not been spared either, as the eastern state experienced a notable drop in temperatures with at least 15 locations recording temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district emerged as the coldest spot, registering a chilling 1 degree Celsius. Similarly, in Telangana, cities including Hyderabad faced cold wave conditions as temperatures fell to single digits in several areas. Adilabad reported a minimum of 5.2 degrees Celsius, with Patancheru near Hyderabad experiencing 6.4 degrees Celsius.

Punjab and Haryana are equally affected by the biting cold, with temperatures plunging to 0.6 degrees Celsius in both Faridkot and Hisar. Chandigarh, serving as a joint capital for these two states, logged a temperature of 26.1 degrees Celsius, which is significantly above the normal seasonal limits. Ludhiana and Patiala reported minimum temperatures of 3.6 degrees Celsius and 5.3 degrees Celsius, respectively, while other areas such as Gurdaspur and Bathinda experienced similarly frigid nights.

In Himachal Pradesh, the cold wave has prompted an "orange" warning for severe cold in isolated areas within the lower hills and plains. It was noted that Shimla recorded a minimum temperature of 10.9 degrees Celsius, which is considerably above the average for this time of year. The local meteorological office has issued a yellow warning for cold waves in selected locations and anticipates dry weather conditions for the upcoming week.