Severe Cold Wave Alert Issued for Northern and Central India

Cold Wave Warning from IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave alert for certain regions in northern and central India. This warning comes at a time when parts of northern and Himalayan states are already experiencing extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to new lows in several areas. According to the IMD bulletin, there is a high likelihood of cold wave conditions from January 7 to January 9 in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Odisha. Additionally, states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh are also expected to face cold wave conditions this week.

Punjab Extends Winter Break for Schools

In response to the severe cold, the Punjab government has announced an extension of the winter break for all schools until January 13. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated that this decision was made with the health and safety of students and staff in mind. This directive will apply to all government, private, aided, and recognized schools across the state.

Bains shared the news in a post on social media, indicating that schools will resume normal operations on January 14. Initially, the Punjab government had declared holidays for all schools from December 24 to December 31, which were later extended to January 7 due to the harsh cold and dense fog.

On Wednesday, the weather department reported that minimum temperatures at various stations in Punjab dropped to as low as 5 degrees Celsius. Bathinda recorded the lowest temperature at 4.6 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar saw a minimum of 7.5 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana at 6.6 degrees Celsius, Patiala at 7.1 degrees Celsius, and Gurdaspur at 5.7 degrees Celsius.