New Delhi, With several stations recording minimum temperature in the negative, cold wave and severe cold wave conditions are very likely to continue over northwest India during next three days and abate thereafter, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

Also, dry northwesterly winds of about 10-15 kmph likely to continue to prevail over plains of northwest India till December 21 enhancing the adverse impact of cold wave and cold Day conditions.

Along with it, dense fog in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand will be witnessed during next two days and over Punjab, and Haryana on December 23 and 24.

Rajasthan's Churu reported the lowest minimum temperature of (-) 2.6 degrees Celsius followed by Sikar (-2.5 degrees C) and Amritsar (-0.5 degrees C), the IMD said.

There would be no significant change in minimum temperatures likely over most parts of northwest India, Gujarat and Maharashtra during next two days. Temperature may rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius thereafter but very likely may see a gradual fall in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius over most parts of east and adjoining central India during next three days and no significant change thereafter.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions very likely to continue to prevail over a few pockets of Punjab, Haryana & Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh on Monday and Tuesday, and cold wave conditions at isolated pockets on December 22 and very likely to abate thereafter, the IMD said.

Cold wave conditions will also be witnessed in a few pockets very likely over Jammu, Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Monday, and at at isolated pockets on Tuesday and are very likely to abate thereafter.

Meanwhile, a Low Pressure Area lies over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean with associated cyclonic circulation. Under its influence, there will be isolated heavy rainfall over Nicobar Islands on December 20.