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Yesterday, an unrelenting wave of severe cold conditions enveloped numerous regions, notably East Uttar Pradesh, West Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and isolated pockets in Haryana and north Madhya Pradesh. The transition from cold days to severe cold days marked a bone-chilling shift, with Punjab experiencing cold wave conditions and isolated areas in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh feeling the icy squeeze.
Simultaneously, rainfall graced specific areas during the period from 0830 hours IST to 1730 hours IST. Arunachal Pradesh and Gangetic West Bengal witnessed precipitation at a few places, while isolated rainfall occurred in Bihar, Assam & Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal.
Yesterday Ludhiana Punjab, reported the lowest minimum temperature at 3.1 °C, underscoring the severity of the cold. As the nation grapples with this intense cold spell, vigilance and preparation for further chilly days are strongly advised. Analysing minimum temperature departures as of January 18, 2024, it was evident that temperatures deviated from the norm. Notably, Odisha, Vidarbha, and Jharkhand reported appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) minimum temperatures in isolated pockets. Meanwhile, many places in Bihar, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh experienced above-normal temperatures (1.6°C to 3.0°C). Above-normal temperatures were also recorded in a few places in Marathwada and isolated pockets in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, North Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Kerala & Mahe, Assam & Meghalaya, Gangetic West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Conversely, a few areas in Andaman & Nicobar Islands reported below-normal temperatures (-1.6°C to -3.0°C).