North India Braces for Intense Cold Wave; IMD Issues Severe Warnings

• IMD warns of cold wave to severe cold wave conditions across North India, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
• Temperatures in plains like Delhi and Chandigarh have dipped below those in hilly cities such as Shimla.
• Delhi's minimum temperature could fall to 3-4.2 degrees Celsius, with cold wave conditions expected for the next two days.
• No significant rain or snowfall is forecast, but dense fog is very likely in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Uttarakhand until January 15.
• IMD advises caution due to health risks like flu, frostbite, and potential impacts on agriculture, transport, and power sectors.

Why It Matters: North India faces a severe cold wave with health and infrastructure impacts; dense fog also expected.