Severe Cold Wave Grips North India: Roads Closed, Power Outages, No 'White Christmas' In Tourist Hotspots

Severe cold wave conditions continued to grip northern Indian states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday. However, popular tourist destinations such as Srinagar and Shimla were disappointed to miss out on the allure of a "white Christmas."

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of -7.3°C, while Tabo in the Lahaul and Spiti district emerged as the coldest place in Himachal Pradesh, with a nighttime temperature of -10.6°C.

Photo Credit: PTI

Snowfall across several districts in Himachal Pradesh led to the closure of 134 roads, including three national highways, according to officials cited by the PTI news agency on Wednesday.

Top Updates on the Cold Wave in Northern India:

Delhi: The national capital experienced a maximum temperature of 22.4°C on Christmas Day, 2°C above the seasonal average. The minimum temperature was 8.4°C, 1.5°C below normal.

Kashmir: Most locations in the Kashmir Valley witnessed a drop in minimum temperatures as the region remained gripped by intense cold, freezing water supply lines and parts of water bodies, including Dal Lake. The Meteorological Department has forecast a further dip of 2-3°C in minimum temperatures over the next two days.

The valley is currently in the midst of "Chillai-Kalan", a 40-day period of the harshest winter that began on December 21, resulting in below-average temperatures. Despite the cold, Srinagar has yet to receive snowfall this season, much to the disappointment of tourists. In contrast, Gulmarg, a popular ski resort, recorded a temperature of -6.6°C, slightly warmer than the previous night's -7.4°C.

Himachal Pradesh: Snowfall in the state led to the closure of 134 roads, including three national highways, with Shimla district alone accounting for 123 road closures. Other affected areas include Lahaul and Spiti (36 roads) and Kullu (25 roads). Additionally, 173 transformers were damaged, disrupting power supply across the region.

Shimla, the "Queen of Hills," saw bright sunshine on Wednesday morning, dashing hopes of a white Christmas for locals and tourists. However, the Meteorological Office has predicted rain and snowfall in parts of the state, including Shimla, from Friday evening to Sunday, with the peak expected on Saturday.

Rajasthan: Dense fog blanketed many areas of Rajasthan, while cold conditions persisted. Light rainfall was reported in eastern Rajasthan, and a "cold day" was observed in parts of the west.

Punjab: Faridkot recorded the state's lowest minimum temperature at 4.2°C, while Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and other areas hovered around 5-6°C.

Haryana: Narnaul was the coldest place in the state, with a minimum temperature of 5.2°C. Hisar recorded a low of 6.8°C, Karnal and Sirsa registered 8°C, and Gurugram recorded 9.3°C.

Chandigarh: The shared capital of Punjab and Haryana reported a minimum temperature of 7.4°C.

Uttar Pradesh: Following two days of rain caused by western disturbances, skies cleared across Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday afternoon. The light drizzle earlier in the week had intensified the cold with dense fog and a drop in temperatures. Lucknow recorded 0.5 mm of rainfall on Wednesday morning, contributing to a 1.5°C dip in daytime temperatures. The weather is expected to remain clear on Thursday, with rain forecast to return on December 27.

(With agency inputs)