This year, winter has brought its worst side upon the capital and its neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. While residents wait for the worst to pass, new predictions from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) point towards gloomier and colder days ahead. 

As per reports, yet another intense cold wave is set to fall upon parts of northern India, with temperatures projected to dip to 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next three days. In lieu of such harsh conditions, the department has, today onwards, also issued a yellow alert for the next six days.

Flight And Train Delays 

After braving one cold wave earlier this month, Delhi and its neighbouring states are due to experience another jarring period of dense fog and low temperatures. Even though the warning came as news today, the consequences of it have already begun to unfold. This morning, the Indian Railways announced that 13 trains in the Northern Railway region were running late due to low visibility caused by the dense fog. Of them, the Darbhanga-New Delhi Cline Special and Gaya-New Delhi Mahabodhi Express were running late by an hour, while the Jaynagar-Amritsar Clone Special had been running late by eight hours. 

Even travellers taking to the skies have experienced setbacks as more than 40 flights at Delhi Airport were delayed on Sunday due to the harsh weather. As per reports, those included 10 international and 33 domestic flights from Delhi to destinations like Kullu, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, Guwahati, and Dharamshala. 

Punjab Experiences Worse 

If you are travelling to Punjab, brace yourself with the best of winter wear as the mercury lurks around zero. Last weekend, Bhatinda experienced 0.6 degrees Celsius, while residents in Amritsar struggled to find warmth at 1.6 degrees Celsius. However, all findings suggest that even if the situation does not worsen, it will most likely stay the same until the weekend ahead. Moreover, the department’s forecast reports that ground frost conditions are likely across states like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. 

Tips For Travellers

If you are northbound during the next few days, ensure you come prepared to tackle the cold weather. Ensure you check your flight and train bookings in advance to stay up-to-date with potential delays or changes in timings. In addition, you must also carry enough winter clothing and face masks not to let the wrath of cold temperatures and pollution get to you.