With No Respite From Bone-Chilling Cold, IMD Warns It's Going To Be Worse In North India

The intense spell of cold that has gripped most of northern India is showing no signs of improving. In fact, it is only getting colder and Sunday and Monday will be particularly harsh.?

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a code red warning for Sunday for the cold wave conditions in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

Code red, under the IMD's classification, is the highest level and a warning for the public to take action in adverse weather.

According to an IMD bulletin on Saturday night, on Sunday, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely in many pockets over Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, in some pockets over Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, in isolated pockets over Madhya Pradesh and cold wave conditions in some pockets over Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and in isolated pockets over Bihar, north Gujarat and Odisha.

The IMD said in a bulletin that as per the prevailing meteorological conditions, cold day to severe cold day conditions in many pockets are very likely till Sunday over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh with some improvements on Sunday with cold day to severe cold day conditions at some pockets in these areas.

Cold day conditions are likely to prevail at isolated pockets over these regions on Monday and abate thereafter. Dense to very dense fog in isolated pockets in morning hours very likely till Sunday morning over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, north Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, north Madhya Pradesh and abate thereafter.

As per IMD, the minimum temperature on Sunday will be 3 degrees Celsius and the maximum will be 13 degrees Celsius. On Monday the minimum temperature will be 3 degrees Celsius and the maximum will be 14 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday, the respective minimum and maximum temperatures were 3 degrees and 11 degrees. The maximum temperatures will start inching up from Sunday.

While Saturday has been classified as a cold day by IMD, Sunday and Monday will be cold wave days.

Earlier, on Saturday the national capital had recorded the coldest day this winter at 2.4 degrees.?

This is also the longest December cold spell since 1997.

Till Friday, Delhi recorded 11 number of cold days, which has been?highest in the last 22 years since 1997.

According to the Met department, the reason behind the?cold wave?is "due to persistence of cold northwesterly winds in lower levels over northwest India and other favourable meteorological conditions".?