Punjab and Haryana shiver as cold wave grips plains: yellow alerts for fog and icy conditions issued

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): Chilly conditions in Punjab and Chandigarh are intensifying as temperatures drop further across the plains. Snowfall in the hilly regions has compounded the cold, prompting the weather department to issue alerts for a cold wave and dense fog. Heavy fog was observed in some areas from Monday night, while overcast skies today hint at possible rain in parts of the state.

The weather department has placed several districts under a yellow alert for cold wave conditions. Areas such as Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, and Mohali are on high alert for cold conditions. Meanwhile, districts including Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Barnala, Mansa, Sangrur, and Malerkotla are expected to experience dense fog.

Though temperatures are unlikely to change significantly today, relief may begin from January 1. However, by January 6, two western disturbances are expected to become active, influencing the western Himalayan regions and possibly affecting weather patterns. In Haryana, the start of the new year is expected to bring severe cold and fog. A yellow alert has been issued for 14 districts, including Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Nuh, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Palwal, Jind, Bhiwani, and Charkhi Dadri. Residents in both Punjab and Haryana are advised to take necessary precautions as the cold wave and fog persist.