Winter has firmly arrived across parts of India, extending its chill even to the South, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a combination of cold wave and rainfall alerts across the country. Below-average temperatures are prevailing, keeping the weather sharply chilly.
Severe Cold Wave Conditions Forecast
According to the IMD bulletin, severe cold wave conditions are highly likely to prevail over several central and southern regions between November 18 and 20:
- Central India: Some parts of West Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Vidarbha.
- Southern Pockets: Marathawada and Telangana.
North India Temperature Outlook: Minimum temperatures are predicted to hover in the range of 7∘C to 10∘C across several northern areas, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, and northern Uttar Pradesh.
For Delhi, no specific weather warning has been issued, but the national capital is expected to experience a partly cloudy sky with mist or shallow fog during the morning hours on Tuesday. The minimum temperature is predicted to remain between 9∘C and 11∘C, though light rain is likely in the coming days, which could cause the mercury to drop further, according to Skymet Vice President Mahesh Palawat.
Cold Wave Alerts in Telangana and Maharashtra
The chill is particularly intense in parts of the Deccan region:
- Telangana: IMD Hyderabad has issued a yellow alert for a cold wave across five districts: Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Nirmal, and Adilabad. Severe cold wave conditions are specifically forecast for Adilabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Asifabad, Komuram Bheem, and Nirmal districts on November 18. The minimum temperature on November 17 dropped to 8.7∘C, and forecasts suggest it might drop 4∘C to 5∘C below normal over the next couple of days.
- Maharashtra: A yellow alert for a cold wave has been issued for isolated areas in Bhandara, Yavatmal, and Gondia. While Mumbai and Pune have no official warning, the Mumbai Met Centre predicted a fall of 1∘C to 2∘C in minimum temperatures across the state over the next two days.
South India Under Rain and Thunderstorm Watch
While the north shivers, the southern states are bracing for heavy precipitation:
- Tamil Nadu and Kerala: IMD predicts light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms at most places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Mahe over the next few days.
- Chennai Alert: A yellow alert has been sounded for Chennai on Tuesday, predicting light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Rainfall is likely across districts including Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Thanjavur.
- Orange Alert: An orange alert for heavy rainfall has been issued for Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, with yellow alerts also in effect for areas such as Karur, Madurai, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, and Sivagangai.