The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that North India, which has been reeling under a severe cold wave, is likely to receive some respite from January 3. The temperatures are expected to rise by three to five degrees Celsius, news agency PTI reported.

Minimum temperatures over the north Indian plains are between one to six degrees Celsius except at isolated places in south Haryana and north Rajasthan where it is between zero to minus one degree Celsius.

“These are very likely to increase gradually by three to five degrees Celsius over these regions during the next three days and no significant change (is expected) thereafter for the subsequent three days,” PTI quoted the IMD as saying.

“Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are prevailing over many parts of the plains of northwest India and adjoining central India. These are likely to continue over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan during the next 24 hours and abate thereafter,” it said.

Dense to very dense fog in isolated pockets are likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and north Uttar Pradesh in the morning hours January 2 and 3, and likely to abate thereafter, the IMD said.