Weather update: North India shivers, train and air travel affected

PTC Web Desk: North India is in the clutches of a severe cold wave, with Sikar in Rajasthan recording an unprecedented low of -0.5 degrees Celsius. The accompanying dense fog has disrupted life in several major cities, including Delhi, impacting both air and train travel. The national capital recorded a shivering overall temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday, compounded by fog reducing visibility.

Delhi's Palam Observatory reported a visibility level of 100 metre at 5.30 am, improving to 500 metre by 7 am due to surface winds. Safdarjung weather station registered a minimum of 5.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday at 8.:30 am, departing by 1.6 degrees Celsius from the previous day. Other areas such as Palam, Lodi Road and The Ridge ranged from 5.6 to 7.2 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar, the coldest spot, experienced a stark drop to 6 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than its reading just 48 hours earlier at 8.6 degrees Celsius.

The frigid conditions have prompted the homeless to seek refuge in shelter homes to escape the severe cold. Anand Vihar illustrates people congregating around bonfires in an attempt to keep warm. Srinagar saw temperatures plummet to a bone-chilling minus 5 degrees Celsius.

In Motihari district, Bihar, Class 6 student Manish Kumar lost his life due to the ongoing cold wave. The student reportedly collapsed during morning prayers at his school and, despite being rushed to the local hospital, he died.

Mount Abu, nestled in the rugged Aravalli hills, experienced a sudden, sharp dip in temperature, plunging from 4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday to a bone-chilling -3 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning. This swift change brought about a biting cold, blanketing the landscape in a pristine layer of snow. Vehicles, grassy fields, and outdoor furniture transformed into canvases for delicate frost, creating a wintery wonder.

In Sikar district, particularly at the Fatehpur Agricultural Research Centre, the mercury plunged below freezing, reaching an astonishing minus 0.5 degrees Celsius. Residents sought solace from the bitter cold by huddling around bonfires under clear skies. Meteorologists warn of even harsher conditions in the coming days.

24 trains running late

The cold wave has not spared train schedules, with at least 24 trains expected to arrive late in Delhi on Thursday due to fog in various parts of the country. Notable affected trains include Katihar-Amritsar Express, Azamgarh-Delhi Junction Kaifiyat Express, Kamakhya-Delhi Junction Brahmputra Mail, Seoni-Ferozpur Express, Bhubneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Secunderabad-Nizamuddin, Chennai-New Delhi GT, Manikpur-Nizamuddin Express, and Ajmer-Katra Pooja Express, among others. 

The India Meteorological Department predicts ongoing dense fog in isolated pockets of northwest India for the next three to four days, and while cold day to severe cold day conditions are expected to reduce over northwest India, the situation is being closely monitored, with warnings issued for specific regions.