New Delhi: Large parts of North and Central India are set to remain under the grip of dense fog and intense cold for at least another week, according to the latest forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather agency has warned that reduced visibility during night and early morning hours will continue, while cold wave conditions may intensify in several states.
The IMD said cold wave conditions are likely to develop in isolated areas of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, west Madhya Pradesh and Bihar starting Monday. Regions such as east Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh are expected to experience particularly harsh cold, while west Rajasthan may face severe cold wave conditions between January 5 and January 9. Similar severe cold conditions are forecast for parts of east Rajasthan until January 10 and for Jharkhand on January 6 and 7.
In the hill states, winter precipitation is expected to bring brief relief from dry weather. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may witness scattered rainfall and snowfall on January 5 and 6. However, most of north India is expected to remain dry, a factor that could lead to a further drop in night temperatures over the coming days. The IMD has also cautioned about the possibility of ground frost at a few locations in Uttarakhand.
Dense fog is expected to be a major concern across several regions. The weather department has issued warnings for thick fog during nighttime and early morning hours over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and the Delhi-NCR region until January 6. Similar conditions are likely across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, while eastern and northeastern states including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura may also see foggy conditions on select days this week. Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and parts of Rajasthan are also on the alert list.
In the national capital, Delhi is expected to see mostly clear skies until January 8, though shallow fog is likely to form across many areas, with moderate fog in isolated pockets during the morning hours. Alongside the cold and fog, air quality remains a concern. On Monday morning, Delhi’s Air Quality Index was recorded in the ‘poor’ category, with an overall AQI of 266 at 6 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Authorities have advised commuters to remain cautious during early travel hours due to low visibility and urged residents, especially the elderly and children, to take precautions against the ongoing cold spell.
