New Delhi: North India continues to experience harsh winter conditions on Wednesday, January 15, 2026, as dense fog and severe cold grip large parts of the region, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported. The extreme weather has disrupted road, rail, and air travel in several states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
According to the IMD, dense to very dense fog—reducing visibility to below 50 metres—was observed across most of Punjab and several areas of Haryana. Similar conditions were reported in parts of Uttarakhand, isolated pockets of Jammu & Kashmir, western Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh. Key locations such as Amritsar, Ambala, Bareilly (IAF), Hindon (IAF), and Pantnagar experienced near-zero visibility. The meteorological department has forecast that dense fog is likely to persist during morning and night hours in isolated to some areas of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh.
Cold wave and cold day conditions are also intensifying. The IMD has issued alerts for cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in several areas, including Haryana and Chandigarh, while isolated pockets of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand are under cold wave watch. Additionally, cold day to severe cold day conditions are expected in parts of Punjab and Haryana. Minimum temperatures across north and central India have remained significantly below normal, with many regions of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh recording sub-zero readings. In the plains, minimum temperatures ranged between 1–5°C, with Hisar in Haryana recording the lowest at 0.5°C. Ground frost was reported in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand.
A fresh western disturbance is expected to affect the Western Himalayan region from January 16, bringing light to moderate rainfall and snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and isolated areas of Uttarakhand. Isolated rainfall is also likely over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh between January 18 and 20.
The IMD has predicted a gradual rise in minimum temperatures across northwest India over the next five days, providing some relief from the severe cold after midweek. Authorities have urged residents and commuters to exercise caution due to limited visibility and slippery road conditions caused by frost and fog.
