Cold wave batters Delhi, north India (Lead)

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said that severe cold has been reported from the national capital, and also from most places in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.In the next 48 hours, the temperature in Delhi may fall to 4 degrees Celsius. "Severe cold reported at most places in Punjab while it was a cold day at most places with isolated severe cold day reported over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; cold day to severe cold day at isolated places over northwest Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh", said IMD in a tweet.The minimum temperature of Delhi was recorded at 5.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning. However, it made a slow climb as the day progressed to settle at a maximum of 16.2 degrees Celsius.According to IMD, Delhi will continue to be in the grip of a cold wave on Monday as well. The IMD has predicted dense fog in the national capital, and a cold morning on Monday.Meanwhile, the IMD has also issued a fog warning for the next five days for Punjab. The dense to very dense fog conditions have been predicted to prevail in many pockets of Punjab in the next two days.According to the IMD, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh will see a cold wave from Sunday, while a severe cold wave may be experienced in western and eastern Rajasthan for the next five days.
--IANS avr/pgh

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