North India Weather Update: Winter has now fully arrived in North India. Amidst continuous snowfall in the hilly states, the cold wave is now affecting the plains as well. By Wednesday evening, cold winds left people shivering in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and many parts of Haryana. A sudden drop in temperatures has altered the capital’s weather, with light rain forecast for Delhi-NCR today, Thursday.
Western Disturbance Increases Cold, Temperature Drops in Delhi
According to the Meteorological Department, the activation of the Western Disturbance has brought about a significant change in the weather in North India. Continuous snowfall continues in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir, the effects of which are now visible in Delhi and the surrounding plains. Cold winds blowing since Wednesday evening have brought the temperature down to around 18 to 19 degrees Celsius.
Improvement in Pollution, Freshness in the Air
The strong winds have also had a positive effect. Some improvement has been observed in Delhi’s toxic air. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has dropped to 261 in pollution-affected areas like Anand Vihar. Meteorologists say this improvement is temporary, but cold winds may further reduce pollution in the coming days.
Cold weather intensifies as snowfall in the mountains
Fresh snowfall in Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand has intensified the cold. Meanwhile, temperatures in the Kashmir Valley have dropped below freezing. Tourist destinations like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Gurez, and Kupwara have been blanketed in snow, bringing joy to the faces of tourists.
Continuous snowfall is also continuing in the high-altitude areas of Kargil and Leh—Khardung La, Shinkula, and Jangla. Local authorities have advised people to remain vigilant and exercise caution while traveling on high-altitude routes.
The cold will intensify in the coming days
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that temperatures will drop further in most parts of North India over the next few days. After light rain in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, the cold wave may intensify.
The snow falling in the mountains and the cold winds blowing in the plains together indicate that this winter is going to be more severe.