Severe cold wave grips Punjab and Chandigarh; dense fog alert issued, rain expected from Jan 18

PTC Web Desk: Punjab and Chandigarh continue to reel under intense cold weather conditions as temperatures dipped close to the freezing point for the second time this winter season. The Chandigarh Meteorological Centre has issued an Orange Alert for dense fog and cold wave conditions, warning residents to remain cautious over the next few days.

According to the Meteorological Department, Punjab witnessed a further drop of 0.3 degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures on Thursday. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar recorded the lowest temperature in the state at 0.9°C, followed by Hoshiarpur and Bathinda at 3°C, Amritsar at 3.2°C, while Chandigarh recorded a minimum of 5.3°C.

In view of the harsh cold and poor visibility due to fog, the Punjab Government has revised school timings across the state. As per orders issued by the School Education Department, all government, aided, recognised and private schools will now operate from 10 am to 3 pm instead of the earlier 9 am opening. The revised timings will remain in effect from January 16 to January 21.

The weather department has forecast dense to very dense fog in parts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Moga, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala. Meanwhile, districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Mansa, Sangrur, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Malerkotla may experience fog at isolated locations.

Day temperatures in several districts are also expected to remain below normal, while cold wave conditions may persist in parts of Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Bathinda and Mansa.

Meteorologists have attributed the ongoing cold conditions to strong upper-air winds blowing at speeds of up to 230 kmph at an altitude of around 12–13 km, intensifying the chill. While fog may reduce slightly due to wind movement, a fresh Western Disturbance is active in the upper atmosphere and another is expected to affect northwest India from January 19, possibly bringing clouds, rain and snowfall in hilly regions.

Rain Likely from January 18