Cold wave till December 26; Winter holidays for schools announced!

A severe cold wave has gripped North India with temperatures dipping to -10.6°C in certain regions. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert of severe cold in the region, Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir being the worst affected.

The cold wave has left schools shut in several places, while winter vacations have been declared as children might be exposed to the extremities of this weather condition. In the capital region, schools in Delhi had been closed from December 20 till January 4. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, schools would remain closed between December 20 and January 2, while in the states of Punjab and Haryana schools would remain shut from 20 December until 31 December.

Schools in Rajasthan are closed from December 20 to January 1, whereas in Madhya Pradesh, the schools are closed from December 20 to December 31. In Odisha, the schools are closed from December 20 to January 2, whereas in Telangana, the schools are closed from December 20 to January 3.

Dense fog alert in eastern Uttar Pradesh; many places may experience frost. Meanwhile, the cold wave has even affected the air quality of Delhi, which has dipped into the "very poor" category.

The government has made efforts to minimize the impact of the cold wave by opening temporary shelters for homeless people and distributing blankets and warm clothing to those who need them. The government has also warned people to take necessary precautions to be safe during the cold wave.

The cold wave is expected to continue until December 22, with temperatures expected to rise slightly after that. However, the cold wave is expected to return again on December 24, with temperatures expected to drop again.

Also read: December 31 - January 4: Winter Holidays for schools in Madhya Pradesh