Delhi woke up to a foggy morning as the minimum temperature settled at 9.9 degrees Celsius, while the hills in north India were covered in snow just ahead of Christmas and New Year.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted a drizzle during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 19 degrees Celsius, while the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 398 in the 'very poor' category. It was 406 on Monday.
The higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall as the cold wave conditions persisted across the valley. The Dal Lake in Srinagar and water supply lines froze due to harsh winters in the valley, which is experiencing 'Chillai Kallan'. The maximum temperature in Srinagar on Monday settled over six degrees below normal for this time of the season.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night -- down three degrees from the previous night, the meteorological department said.
Pahalgam, the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, registered a minimum temperature of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night's minus 5 degrees Celsius, it said.
The night temperature in Gulmarg, a tourist resort town known for skiing activities in north Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 7.4 degrees Celsius -- almost three degrees down from minus 4.8 degrees Celsius the previous night, the department added.
Badrinath, Kedarnath Receive Fresh Snowfall
In Uttarakhand, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Hemkund Sahib in Garhwal Himalayas and Munsiyari in Kumaon region received fresh snowfall intensifying cold throughout the state.
The sky remained overcast throughout the day at many places including Dehradun which also received a drizzle. Mussoorie, Dhanolti and Chakrata also received snowfall, much to the delight of tourists.
Shimla Records 8 Cm Of Snowfall
The snow led to the closure of 30 roads, including the national highways between Attari and Leh, and Khab Sangam in Kinnaur district and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti district, the State Emergency Operation Centre said.
Shimla on Monday recorded 8 cm of snowfall while Kalpa recorded 7 cm. The snow led to the closure of 30 roads, including the national highways between Attari and Leh, and Khab Sangam in Kinnaur district and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti district, the State Emergency Operation Centre said.
A maximum 17 roads were closed in Shimla, followed by six in Kangra, three in Una, two in Lahaul and Spiti, and one each in Kullu and Chamba districts. Six transformers were also disrupted.