The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded the alarm for severe coldwave conditions hitting multiple states including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, which are under red alert, signifying urgent action. Additionally, states such as Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Jharkhand have been placed under an orange alert, indicating a need for preparedness until the afternoon of the specified day. These color-coded alerts denote varying levels of advisories from ‘be aware’ (yellow) to ‘take action’ (red), and the public is urged to take necessary precautions to stay safe in such extreme weather conditions. For the latest updates and alerts, the IMD has recommended checking their website or using the Mausam app, thereby ensuring that individuals can stay informed about the coldwave status in their respective regions.
Delhi has grappled with the season’s lowest temperature at 3.9 degrees Celsius, causing disrupted transport systems due to dense fog leading to zero visibility, especially at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The railways reported delays in numerous trains heading to Delhi due to the adverse weather, and the authorities have reminded passengers to keep in touch with their airlines for the most recent flight information. While flight operations sustain through the use of CAT III instrument landing systems for low-visibility conditions, non-CAT III compliant flights may face issues causing potential inconvenience which is deeply regretted by the authorities. Despite sun breaking through the fog, the persistent chill has ensured the temperatures remain low, continuing the ‘cold day’ to ‘severe cold day’ conditions that has been affecting parts of north India.
The color-coded alerts established by IMD serve as crucial indicators for action during such weather phenomena, with ‘green’ indicating no significant weather events, ‘yellow’ implying awareness due to potential worsening conditions, ‘orange’ suggesting preparedness for expected disruptions, and ‘red’ demanding immediate action due to severe weather that may endanger lives. Moreover, access to necessary weather information and updates via the Mausam app and other platforms remains pivotal for public safety, aiding people in navigating through the rough weather while ensuring minimal impact on daily life and transport services.