IMD Issues Cold Wave Alert for Northern and Central India
The India Meteorological Department released its latest weather forecast today. It indicates that cold to severe cold wave conditions will continue across several northern and central Indian states. The affected regions include Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha. These harsh conditions are expected to last for the next two to three days before showing signs of easing.
Temperature Predictions for Key Regions
Northwest India will likely see little change in minimum temperatures over the next forty-eight hours. After that period, a gradual warming trend should begin. Temperatures are forecast to rise by three to five degrees Celsius over the following five days.
The weather pattern shows variation across different states. Over Maharashtra, temperatures will probably remain steady for the next day. They are then predicted to dip by two to three degrees Celsius over the subsequent three days before starting a gradual increase. Gujarat can expect no significant temperature change in the next two days, followed by a modest rise. The IMD forecasts no major weather variations for the rest of the country during this period.
Current Cold Wave Grips the Nation
Northwestern India and parts of central India are already experiencing intense cold wave conditions. IMD data confirms that minimum temperatures have plummeted to five degrees Celsius or below at numerous locations.
Early morning readings on January 13th highlighted the severity. Hisar in Haryana recorded the nation's lowest temperature at a frigid 1.5 degrees Celsius. Karnal followed closely at 2.0 degrees Celsius, and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh registered 2.1 degrees Celsius. These figures underscore the severe cold gripping Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
Major urban centers are not spared from the chill. Chandigarh, Delhi's Safdarjung and Ayanagar areas, and Patiala all reported minimum temperatures hovering around three degrees Celsius. The cold air has even penetrated the desert region of Rajasthan. Cities like Alwar, Ganganagar, and Jaisalmer recorded minimums between 3.2 and 4.4 degrees Celsius.
Parts of central India also registered unusually low readings. Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, for instance, saw its temperature drop to 4.9 degrees Celsius.
Agricultural Impact and Expert Analysis
Agricultural experts provide a cautiously optimistic outlook for rabi crops despite the cold. They note that most winter crops are well-adapted to low temperatures. Current conditions, including adequate soil moisture and normal growth stages, offer further support. Therefore, extreme cold waves are unlikely to cause significant widespread harm to most crops.
However, experts issue a serious warning about frost. During severe cold spells, frost poses a major risk, particularly in northwestern and central India. It can damage tender plant parts and disrupt critical phases like flowering and grain development. Crops such as wheat, mustard, and pulses are especially vulnerable to frost damage.
"The cold wave is generally conducive for crops," explained Dr. Anand Vishwakarma, a principal scientist at ICAR-Jabalpur. "However, frost can pose a major threat to pulses and oilseeds during severe cold spells, especially across northwestern and central regions." He added that, so far, no frost incidents have been reported from central India.
Rabi Sowing Shows Positive Trend
Meanwhile, recent government data presents encouraging news for agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare released figures on Tuesday. They show that India's rabi crop sowing for the 2025–26 season has increased by over 1.76 million hectares. The total sown area reached 64.42 million hectares as of January 9th.
This area is 2.8% higher than the corresponding period last year. It also exceeds the season's average coverage of 63.78 million hectares. The increase is largely supported by higher acreage under key crops like wheat, rice, pulses, and oilseeds.
