Udaipur, Bikaner schools close till Jan 18 as mercury drops in Rajasthan

The IMD has predicted a return of cold wave conditions in several states like Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh till January 19, 2023

Amid the severe cold wave prevailing over Rajasthan, schools in Udaipur and Bikaner remain closed on Monday.

Additional District Collector of Udaipur City, Prabha Gautam on Sunday declared holiday for all students up to Class 8 from January 16 to 18 to relieve the students from the extreme cold wave.

She said that the heads of all the educational institutions have been informed about the holiday and have been directed to comply.

The district administration in Bikaner also decided to shut the schools till January 18 amid the cold wave.

Several areas of Rajasthan recorded temperatures below freezing point on Sunday.

Shishram Dhaka, the Zonal Director of research at Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Fatehpur-Shekhawati said that -4.7 degree celsius temperature was recorded at Fatehpur-Shekhawati on Sunday.

In view of the severe cold, the district administration in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur also decided to shut schools till January 17.

The district administration in Meerut also shut schools for students up to Class 8 till January 17.

And the Union Territory of Chandigarh has also extended the winter break for students up to eighth standard keeping in view the stern cold and fog spell in the region.

Cold wave to severe cold waves are very likely to hold their sway over parts of North India including the national capital till Wednesday, the weather department said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, over North India, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely over many parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi till January 17 and thereafter in isolated pockets on January 18.

Notably, IMD has predicted dense fog and low visibility over the northwestern part of the country for the next five days.

On Saturday, the weather department predicted dense to very dense fog over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar during the next five days.

Due to northwesterly winds from the Himalayas over the plains of northwest India, minimum temperatures are very likely to fall by 2-4 degree Celsius over the northwest and adjoining central India during the next two days, the IMD predicted.