New Delhi, December 31, 2024: Continuous snowfall has been reported in three states of India, with temperatures in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir dropping to as low as minus 10°C. Additionally, snowfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand has led to several road closures. In Jammu and Kashmir’s capital, Srinagar, the night temperature dropped to -0.9°C, causing water pipes to freeze, forcing people to fetch water from lakes.
Due to the ongoing snowfall in these three states, tourists have flocked to hill stations in large numbers. Over 45,000 vehicles reached Himachal Pradesh in the last two days. More than 80,000 tourists, traveling in 24,000 vehicles, have arrived in Shimla to celebrate the New Year.
According to the Meteorological Department, icy winds from the mountains will lead to a drop in temperatures on Tuesday across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. Cold waves and dense fog are expected in northern India.
In Uttar Pradesh, 52 districts are experiencing cold waves, and dense fog has been reported in 60 districts. Visibility has dropped to 50 meters in Moradabad and Azamgarh. Due to this, 37 trains at Kanpur Central Railway Station were delayed by up to 8 hours.
In Madhya Pradesh, the temperature has been steadily decreasing, with the mercury dropping to 3.5°C in Neemuch. Rajasthan is under a cold wave alert for the next three days, and temperatures in Mount Abu may drop below freezing. Currently, the temperature there is -1°C.
Snowfall Data:
Himachal Pradesh: In 5 districts, more than 10 cm of fresh snowfall was recorded. Kalpa received 14.9 cm, Kufri 12 cm, Moring 12 cm, Khadrala 10 cm, Sangla 8.5 cm, and Keylong 1.6 cm.
Delhi: The minimum temperature in Delhi dropped to 10.3°C, which is 3.5°C above normal, while the maximum temperature was 15°C, 5.4°C lower than usual.
Forecast for Upcoming Days:
January 1, 2024:
Dense fog is expected in 10 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Thunderstorms and strong winds are likely in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, with a chance of lightning in some areas.
January 2, 2024:
Snowfall will continue in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. The northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, will experience dense fog, while northern India will remain under the grip of cold weather, causing a further drop in temperatures.
Tourism Trends:
The number of tourists visiting Leh has decreased this year. In 2023, 5.25 lakh tourists visited Leh, but this number is expected to drop to 3.75 lakh in 2024. On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a rise in tourism, with 2.10 crore tourists visiting in 2023, and the number is expected to rise to 2.11 crore in 2024.
Stay tuned for more updates on the weather conditions across the country.
