Weather forecasts indicate two bouts of extreme cold are imminent across northern India, bringing snow and rainfall starting Sunday, January 28th. These harsh conditions will impact millions across the region.Snowfall The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts heavy snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand beginning today. Widespread moderate to heavy rain or snow is expected from January 29th through February 1st.RainfallFurther west, the forecasts call for rainfall across Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from January 31st to February 2nd. Dense fog will blanket Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Bihar overnight and in the mornings until January 31st.Dense Fog Additional regions bracing for dense fog today include Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Cold day conditions will persist in Bihar through January 31st, with Uttar Pradesh likely to experience such days starting today.The harsh cold and lingering pollution has already led to chest infections among children in Delhi. Asthma patients are also facing intensified health troubles.Very dense fog conditions are reported over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar dense fog over Tripura at 0530 hrs IST of 28.01.2024.Visibilities reported are:Varanasi (Babatpur) and Purnea 25 m eachBahraich, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Sultanpur and Kailashahar 50 m each.Patna 200 m— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) January 28, 2024The temperature drop brings problems like chest infection and pneumonia, said Dr. Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of Loknayak Jai Prakash Hospital in Delhi. Especially children and the elderly are being hit hard this winter season, with increasing numbers being hospitalized.Millions across northern India are buckling down as forecasts promise an onslaught of cold, snow and dense fog in the coming days. Experts advise taking precautions to avoid health complications from the extreme conditions ahead.
