New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS): With the onset of New Year on Sunday, the minimum temperature in the national capital dipped to 5.5 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Minimum temperatures are in the range of 2-6 degree C over many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh," said the IMD on Sunday. The minimum temperature was recorded at 10.7 and 10.2 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday in the capital city Delhi.

"Very dense fog was observed in a few places over Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh; at isolated places over Bihar and dense fog in isolated pockets over West Madhya Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Odisha, Assam & Tripura today morning," said the IMD, adding that the cold wave was observed at isolated places over Punjab and Rajasthan.

The IMD predicted that due to light winds and high moisture near surface over the Indo-Gangetic plains, dense to very dense fog is very likely in some pockets in night and morning hours over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh during the next 2-3 days and in isolated pockets over Bihar during the next four days.

The dense fog in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Assam and Tripura will prevail during the next 2-3 days, it said.

"Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in isolated pockets is very likely over the northern parts of Rajasthan during January 1-3 and cold wave conditions thereafter. Cold wave conditions in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during January 1-4; over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during January 1-5 and over West Uttar Pradesh on 2nd & 3rd January, 2023," IMD said.