As cold wave returns, Delhi's minimum temperature dips to 1.4°C, Rajasthan's Churu records -2.5°C

Meanwhile, as many as 13 trains were running late in the Northern Railway region due to fog, the Indian Railways was quoted by ANI as saying.

(Credit: ANI)

Meanwhile, weather will remain mainly dry across Jammu and Kashmir till January 18. Fresh western disturbances are also likely to affect the Union territory from January 19 to 25. "Light to moderate rain or snow is likely between January 23 and 24," it said.

Besides Delhi, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions is very likely to hit many parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana and Chandigarh till January 17 and thereafter in isolated pockets on January 18. On January 18, the temperature will record 4 degrees Celcius, failing to give even marginal respite to Delhiites from the cold wave conditions, the Met office said earlier.

The IMD also predicted dense fog and low visibility over the northwestern part of India for 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.

The minimum temperatures will gradually rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius from January 18 to January 20 under the influence of a western disturbance, it said.

In view of the severe cold, the district administration in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur decided to shut schools till January 17, and the district administration in Meerut ordered passed the same order but till class 8.

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.

All schools in Udaipur, Rajasthan, will also remain closed till January 18 for students up to Class 8. Private schools will remain open from 9 am to 3 pm from January 19 and 22.

Large parts of north and northwest India recorded below-normal maximum and minimum temperatures till January 10-11. This was due to a layer of dense fog that persisted over the Indo-Gangetic plains during the period and a large gap between two western disturbances, which meant frosty winds from the snow-clad mountains blew in for a longer-than-usual period, according to meteorologists.

When a western disturbance -- a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East -- approaches a region, the wind direction changes. The chilly northwesterly winds from the mountains stop blowing, leading to an increase in temperatures.