Winter has settled early over north and central India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a cold wave alert for parts of Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on 18 November. Cold winds sweeping down from the hills have pulled down temperatures sharply, making mornings unusually chilly for mid-November.
Delhi shivers through one of its coldest November mornings
Delhi woke up to a biting cold morning as the minimum temperature dipped to around 8-9°C, much lower than normal for this time of the year. This makes it one of the coldest November mornings in nearly three years. Fog also hovered over several parts of the capital, affecting visibility during early hours. According to IMD, Delhi will continue to remain cold over the next couple of days, with the possibility of shallow fog during morning hours. The weather department has advised sensitive groups, including infants and the elderly, to avoid exposure to cold winds.
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh report steep temperature fall
Rajasthan is witnessing an unusually sharp drop in temperature this early in November. Cities like Churu, Fatehpur, Sriganganagar and Alwar recorded minimum temperatures under 10°C. Fatehpur dipped below 5°C, making it one of the coldest spots in the state. Mount Abu touched the freezing point, leading to frost formation, a rare sight so early in the season.
Madhya Pradesh has also slipped into winter mode, with Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Rajgarh and more than 25 districts recording significant temperature drops. IMD has issued a cold wave warning for several regions. Schools in some MP cities have delayed morning timings to protect children from the harsh cold.
IMD says the cold wave conditions may continue for the next 48-72 hours. Temperatures are expected to remain low until warm winds return and conditions stabilise gradually.
