Winter woes: Water pipes freeze in parts of Himachal; Delhi records first cold day of year

New Delhi: The winter tightened its hold across North India on Tuesday with snowfall in hilly states and lowering temperatures across northern India, including the national capital which recorded its first cold day of the year.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more light rainfall or snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

It noted that minimum temperatures were below 0 degree Celsius at many places in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad, between 0 and 5 degrees at a few places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and between 5 and 10 degrees at many places in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Reeling under piercing cold wave conditions, Himachal Pradesh had no respite as minimum temperature stayed close to freezing point at several places, and Tabo was again coldest with a low of minus 10.8 degree Celsius, Met officials said.

Tabo recorded the coldest night of the year on Sunday with minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature further dipped to minus 10.8 degrees Celsius on Monday night.

Water pipes were frozen at many places in mid and higher hills, affecting drinking water supply while high-altitude tribal and other uninhabited areas witnessed arctic conditions with mercury staying 12 to 18 degrees below freezing point.

The administration of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh has imposed a complete ban on all trekking activities above 3,000 metres in the district ahead of worsening weather, officials here said.

In the national capital, the IMD said cold day conditions were likely on Wednesday as well, adding that maximum temperatures were observed in the range of 13 degrees Celsius to 16 degrees Celsius in Delhi.

According to the IMD, cold day conditions are declared when the maximum temperature remains 4.5 degrees Celsius to 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

The maximum temperature in the national capital on Tuesday was recorded at 15.7 degrees Celsius, which was 3.3 notches below the seasonal average, while the minimum temperature settled at 7.6 degrees Celsius, 0.7 notches above normal.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Gulmarg in the Baramulla district was the coldest place on Monday night with a minimum temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, the weather office said.

Under the influence of a feeble western disturbance, there was light snowfall in a few areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir, including the Mughal Road and the upper areas of Ganderbal, on Monday night, officials said.

They said the minimum temperatures at most places in Kashmir dipped last night, with Srinagar recording a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, a slight drop from minus 3.6 degrees Celsius the night before.

Most parts of Rajasthan are witnessing severe cold conditions, as night temperatures dipped below 10 degrees Celsius in several areas of the state, with four places recording minimum temperatures below five degrees.

The administration has extended winter vacations in schools, especially for primary classes, in over a dozen districts, including Jaipur, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Sikar, owing to intense cold conditions and dense fog.

Jaipur witnessed dense fog for the first time this season.

Several places in the Bikaner, Kota and Udaipur divisions also remained covered by thick fog. People were seen lighting bonfires to protect themselves from the cold, while the administration has set up night shelters at various places in cities.

In Jharkhand, a coldwave alert was issued, as the mercury dropped below 10 degrees Celsius in 10 districts.

Among the districts for which the 'yellow' alert was issued were Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla and Chatra, they said.

Coldwave conditions are likely to prevail in these districts till January 7, they added.

In the 24 hours till 8.30 am, Gumla recorded the lowest temperature in the state at 2.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Khunti at 3.7 degrees Celsius, and Lohardaga at 3.9 degrees Celsius, it said.

Meanwhile, Kolkata recorded its coldest January day as the mercury plunged to 10.2 degrees Celsius, the IMD said, forecasting that the chill is set to intensify across southern West Bengal over the next two days.

According to official data, Kolkata's minimum temperature in January had dipped below 11 degrees Celsius only once in the last 15 years, in 2023, when it touched 10.9 degrees Celsius.

In northern West Bengal, dense fog is expected to prevail across most districts over the next few days, particularly during the early morning hours, leading to reduced visibility, the IMD said.

Cold day conditions are also likely in parts of Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, and Malda.

The IMD advised people, especially the elderly and those with health conditions, to take precautions as the cold spell tightens its grip on the region.