New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS): Cold to severe cold day conditions would prevail over northwest and central India during next 24 hours and gradually abate thereafter, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday even as minimum temperatures remained normal over most parts of northwest India and above normal over Madhya Pradesh.

The IMD bulletin said that there were cold day conditions in many parts with severe cold day conditions in isolated pockets over west Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan, cold day to severe cold day conditions in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh, and also in isolated pockets over Punjab and northwest Rajasthan, while cold day conditions were observed in some parts of Haryana and Delhi.

On the one hand, a cyclonic circulation lies over Kerala and neighbourhood in lower tropospheric levels while on the other, a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect Western Himalayan region from January 18 night. A fresh active Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from January 21 onwards. An induced cyclonic circulation is very likely to form over southwest Rajasthan on January 22.

The IMD forecast said that there will be isolated lightmoderate rainfall over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, interior Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Mahe during next 2-3 days, and light to moderate rainfall at a few places with isolated heavy rainfall likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh during next 24 hours.

Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is expected over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during January 20 and 21. Isolated light precipitation is expected over Western Himalayan Region during January 17 to 20. Scattered to widespread rainfall/snowfall is likely over Western Himalayan Region from January 21 to 23.

Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan during January 21 to 23 with maximum intensity on January 22.

Isolated hailstorm activity is also likely over east Rajasthan and eest Madhya Pradesh on January 21 night and 22.

Minimum temperatures are likely to rise by 2-4 degrees Celsius over northwest India during the next five days.

Dense to very dense fog in isolated parts in night/morning hours is very likely over Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal during next two days.

Cold day to severe cold day conditions in some/isolated pockets is very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during next two days and abate thereafter.