Cold wave tightens grip on north india as snowfall hits Hills and IMD expands alerts
North India stepped into a sharper winter on Monday as icy winds, falling temperatures and fresh snowfall reshaped conditions across the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued new cold wave and dense fog alerts for several states. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir witnessed fresh snow that turned high-altitude roads slippery.
To start with, Delhi woke up to a biting morning as cold conditions strengthened across the city. Temperatures dipped steadily, and visibility remained low in patches. Moving northward, Kashmir saw harsher weather. Shopian hit minus 4.2°C, marking the coldest point in the Valley. Srinagar followed with a freezing minus 2.5°C as light snowfall touched central Kashmir’s upper reaches. This fresh wave created slippery stretches along the Srinagar–Leh highway, slowing movement and adding risk for early commuters.
At the same time, Himachal Pradesh reported similar conditions. Rohtang Pass and the higher belts of Kullu district received renewed snowfall. As a result, the Manali–Leh road closed for traffic beyond Darcha. Officials declared the shutdown routine for the season but warned that fresh snow may intensify local disruptions.
As the hills tightened their grip on winter, the plains prepared for a colder week ahead. According to IMD’s latest bulletin, parts of central and eastern India will come under a stronger cold wave phase from December 10 to 13. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha remain at the centre of this advisory. Soon after, Punjab may experience similar conditions between December 11 and 13.
Further south, Vidarbha and Telangana will likely feel the impact on December 10 and 11. Meanwhile, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada will enter the cold wave zone on December 12 and 13. This staggered spread shows how rapidly winter is advancing across multiple regions.
Alongside the drop in temperature, fog has emerged as another major concern. Dense fog may develop over isolated pockets of Assam and Manipur from December 10 to 14. Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Odisha may witness similar fog around December 10 and 11. These early morning layers could reduce visibility sharply and slow road and air traffic.
IMD expects minimum temperatures across northwest India to fall by another 2°C over the next two days. After this brief dip, temperatures may stabilise. Toward the weekend, the region may even see a slight rise of 2°C to 4°C.
As the weather shifts quickly, states remain on alert. Local authorities have advised residents to limit early morning travel, secure essentials and monitor official weather updates closely. With snow deepening in the hills and fog thickening in the plains, northern and central India now brace for a challenging winter stretch.
