Severe cold conditions are likely to prevail in the State on the second and third day of the new year as the western disturbances and it’s induced cyclonic circulation is forecast to affect the state from January 1 to 4. According to the State meteorological centre, the effect of the disturbances will be felt across the state especially on January 2 and 3. This will happen due to gradual evolution of the system and its movement.

As forecast by the state meteorological centre, snowfall might occur in higher reaches at an altitude of 2500 metres and above on January 1 and at an altitude of 2200 metres and above from January 2 to 4.

Apart from this severe cold might affect both upper and lower regions of Garhwal and Kumaon on January 2 and 3. Hail is likely to occur in few places of Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar districts.

Kumaon region is likely to get affected more due to snow/ rainfall activities on the second and third day of the new year, with a large number of tourists to arrive during this time of the year the state government authorities are advised to take necessary actions for road clearance in snow affected areas to ensure smooth movement of tourists and locals.

Meanwhile, the meteorological centre has issued a warning that shallow to moderate fog with cold conditions is likely to occur in few areas in plains especially in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts on Tuesday. Dry weather is likely to prevail in the rest of the state with skies remaining mainly clear to partly cloudy.

People of the state’s provisional capital might wake up to haze as it is forecast to occur in the morning hours of Tuesday. The skies in the city will remain clear to partly cloudy. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Dehradun are forecast to be around 19 degrees Celsius and four degrees Celsius respectively.

The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded in the various parts of the state on Monday were 19.7 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius respectively in Dehradun, 12.3 degrees Celsius and 6.6 degrees Celsius in Pantnagar, 9.4 degrees Celsius and 3.2 degrees Celsius in Mukteshwar and 12.8 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius respectively in New Tehri.