In pics: Northern India in grip of cold wave, more snowfall predicted

The India Meteorological Department on Saturday forecasted severe cold wave conditions across western and northern states, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, north Rajasthan till December 21.

A spokesperson for the IMD said that for the past three days, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions was prevailing over some parts of Northwestern India.  "As of Saturday, night temperatures below are normal in these areas," he added. 

According to the latest IMD bulletin, there will be a gradual drop in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius in most parts of northwest India.

He said that parts of Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, north Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh might experience severe cold waves. 

Devotees perform voluntary cleaning service of the holy pond at the Golden Temple during a cold winter morning, in Amritsar on Thursday. According to the meteorological department, isolated pockets of Punjab are very likely to experience dense to very dense fog in the morning hours between December 18 and 20, while similar conditions are expected in Haryana and Chandigarh on December 18 and 19, and over north Rajasthan on December 18.

Visitors seen next to a frozen waterfall at Drung area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. The state's summer capital, Srinagar, recorded the season’s coldest night with minus 6 degrees Celsius.

Vehicles covered in snow as the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh receives fresh snowfall, at Mandhol Village, in Shimla on Saturday. Parts of the state were covered in a blanket of snow as the region continued to receive heavy snowfall. 

Manali received fresh snowfall, at Mall Road in Manali on Friday. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD),light to moderate rainfall or snowfall is expected at isolated places of Himachal Pradesh in next 48 hours due to a western disturbance triggered by the cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and neighbourhood.

A room heater is placed to maintain the temperature of a Lion enclosure on a cold winter day, at Sarthana Nature Park and Zoo, in Surat on Thursday. The weather department has made a forecast of severe cold wave over Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, parts of Gujarat and north Rajasthan in the next five days. It had predicted the mercury to drop by two to four degrees Celsius in most parts of northwest India, adjoining central India.

A homeless woman covered in woollens sits on a pavement to brace the cold wave, in New Delhi, Saturday, Dec 18. On Thursday, Delhi recorded the season's lowest maximum temperature with 19.8 degrees Celsius—three degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature increased marginally to settle at 8.7 degrees Celsius.

Hay being burned to keep elephants warm during cold weather, at Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Wednesday