With rain and snow, parts of north India are set to enter the new year with cold wave conditions, as per the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast.

The weather agency has predicted cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in some areas of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan from December 30 to January 2.

“Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions likely in a few pockets of Himachal Pradesh; cold wave conditions in isolated pockets of Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan,” the IMD said in its latest forecast.

Moderate rainfall, thunderstorms in UP

The weather department on Saturday also said that temperature in Western and Eastern Uttar Pradesh are likely to drop further by December 29 as the rain clears up.

IMD scientist Atul Kumar Singh told ANI that the weather will clear up from Sunday, with a significant drop in minimum temperatures by 3-6 degrees Celsius over the next 2-3 days.

Also Read | Cold wave conditions likely in north India from tomorrow, forecasts IMD

“In the last 24 hours, most places over western Uttar Pradesh and some places over eastern Uttar Pradesh witnessed rainfall. Today, light to moderate rainfall is likely over some places over western Uttar Pradesh and most places over eastern Uttar Pradesh. Thunderstorms are also likely at some places. Weather will become dry from tomorrow… Minimum temperatures will fall by 3-6 degrees Celsius in the next 2-3 days.,” he said.

Snowfall to continue in Himachal Pradesh

Parts of Himachal Pradesh are likely to continue to receive a few spells of light rainfall and snowfall with one or two moderate spells till the morning hours on December 29.

Heavy rainfall or snowfall is also likely at isolated places over NE-Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, northern parts of Mandi, Lahul-Spiti, Kinnaur and northern parts of Sirmaur districts till tomorrow morning, according to IMD.

Fresh spells of cold waves, dense fog and ground front are very likely to start over lower hills/plains of the state from the morning of December 30. Shimla city and adjoining areas continue to experience intermittent light spells of precipitation till midnight today, the weather agency said in its latest update.

Heavy snowfall disrupts life in Kashmir

Daily life was thrown out of gear in Kashmir as the season’s heaviest snowfall hit air, rail and road traffic and disrupted power and water supply on December 28.

In south Kashmir, heavy to very heavy snowfall was recorded in the plains while central Kashmir’s plains received moderate snowfall. The plains of north Kashmir received light to moderate snowfall, officials said.

Also Read | J&K Police, army rescue stranded tourists, civilians

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic due to snow. Train services on the Banihal-Baramulla section were suspended due to heavy snow accumulation on the tracks, PTI reported, citing railway officials.

Air traffic to and from Srinagar was also affected, with flight operations suspended.

Delhi sees highest single-day of rain in Decembers since 1923

Delhi saw 41.2 mm of rain in the 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday, the highest single-day December rainfall since 1923 and the second highest in recorded history since 1901.

The weather department has issued an orange alert for Sunday and yellow alert for the subsequent two days in Delhi NCR, predicting spells of fog for which it advised citizens to be on watch.

“A spell of very light rain or drizzle was observed in some isolated places. An orange alert has been issued for Sunday, warning people of the possibility of a dense fog in most places and very dense fog in isolated places,” said an IMD official.