Delhi, north India reel under cold wave; IMD issues rainfall alert for Chennai, other Tamil Nadu districts

Delhi-NCR and parts of north India woke up to cold wave conditions on Sunday, 11 January, with no respite in immediate sight. Down south, meanwhile, Chennai and parts of Tamil Nadu are forecast to see heavy rainfall.

The national capital had, on Saturday, recorded its coldest January morning in two years, with the mercury plunging to 4.6 degrees Celsius, and cold wave conditions continue to persist.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its latest update, said that no significant change in minimum temperature was expected over northwest India and Madhya Pradesh on Sunday and coming days, adding that cold wave conditions will persist in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Odisha on Sunday, 11 January, and Monday, 12 January. Similar conditions are also forecast for Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and north interior Karnataka on Sunday.

Many places in north India are also under dense fog warnings, particularly during morning hours, with dense to very dense fog expected in places across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Videos from Delhi-NCR on Sunday morning showed fog obscuring visibility amid cold wave conditions.

Eastern and north eastern states such as West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura too are expected to see dense fog conditions.

Rain alert in Chennai, parts of Tamil Nadu

Under the influence of a deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal, which overnight weakened to a depression, heavy to very heavy rainfall is also forecast for parts of Tamil Nadu, with thunderstorms and lightning also predicted over the southern state, Puducherry and Karaikal.

The state's capital Chennai, woke up to misty conditions and overcast skies on Sunday, as per the IMD data from 8 am.

However, moderate rain with thunderstorms are forecast for isolated places over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Thiruvallur, while light rains and light to moderate rains are forecast for many districts in the state.

Squally weather with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph, with gusts of up to 60 kmph, are also forecast for the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast, with rough sailing conditions predicted.

Given these conditions, the IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into southwest Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar, and adjoining areas.