New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS): The minimum temperatures have risen to 4-6 degrees Celsius over northwest India and central India during past four days with some stations such as Amritsar, Churu & Sikar witnessing almost 8-12 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.

"Night/minimum temperatures are in the range of 6-10 degrees Celsius over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and some parts of north Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand & Bihar," it said.

Also, the minimum temperatures over Rajasthan and the remaining parts of the above regions hovered between 9-16 degrees Celsius.

At Churu and Amritsar, the minimum temperatures were recorded at 9 and 6.7 degrees respectively.

Earlier on Thursday, while issuing the extended range forecast for next two weeks (December 23, till Jan 5, 2022), the IMD had predicted a Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu & Kashmir and an induced cyclonic circulation over Northwest Rajasthan at lower tropospheric levels. "Because of which, isolated to scattered rainfall/snowfall very likely over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan & Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh till December 25.

Isolated rainfall is very likely over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh till December 25.

Another fresh intense Western Disturbance and its induced cyclonic circulation is very likely to influence northwest India from December 26 and central India from December 27. "Under their influence, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall /snowfall is very likely over Western Himalayan Region from December 26 to 28 and isolated to scattered on December 29," IMD said, adding, "Isolated heavy rainfall/snowfall is expected over Jammu & Kashmir on December 26 and 27 and Himachal Pradesh on December 27," the IMD said.

Isolated hailstorms also likely over Jammu division, lower Himachal Pradesh, northern parts of Punjab & Haryana on December 26 and over Uttarakhand & northwest Uttar Pradesh on December 26 and 27.

Light isolated rainfall/snowfall is very likely over Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and light rainfall over rest parts of northeastern states till the weekend while light isolated rainfall is likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha early next week.

Due to likely influence of Western Disturbances, minimum temperatures likely to be above normal by 2-4 degrees Celsius over most parts northwest, central, east and northeast India and near normal over south Peninsular India, the IMD said.