desk
Share
News Topical, Digital Desk : North India is currently reeling under severe cold and dense fog. According to the India Meteorological Department ( IMD) , an active western disturbance is causing light to moderate snowfall and rain in the western Himalayan region, while dense fog and a cold wave continue to wreak havoc in the plains. This is severely affecting flights and trains in several states, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Fresh snowfall on the mountains
Fresh snowfall has been recorded in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand due to a western disturbance. According to an IMD press release, light to moderate rain and snowfall is expected over the next few days. This has brought joy to tourists, but has also led to slippery and obstructed roads at higher altitudes.
Dense fog and cold wave in the plains: Dense to very dense fog prevailed in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar during the night and morning hours. Visibility dropped to less than 50 meters in many areas. The IMD has issued a dense fog warning for January 5-6. Minimum temperatures hovered around 8-10 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures were below normal.
Flights and trains affected
Dense fog at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has caused numerous flights to be delayed or canceled. Similarly, dozens of trains across northern India are running hours behind schedule. Passengers are frustrated, and airlines have advised travelers to check their flight statuses first.
According to the IMD , these weather conditions are likely to persist for the next few days. People are advised to exercise caution during road travel and wear warm clothing. They should make necessary arrangements to protect themselves from the cold.
Cold wave in UP-MP
Kanpur and Prayagraj were also enveloped in a thick blanket of fog amid the cold wave. People were seen huddled around bonfires to keep warm. Similar scenes were witnessed in Moradabad. In Ayodhya, visibility was severely reduced due to the fog.
A cold wave continued in Varanasi. Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh was shrouded in fog. Cold wave conditions persisted in the Kashmir Valley, with temperatures dropping further. Tourists were seen at Dal Lake in Srinagar.
A tourist said, "We have been here for the last three days. First we went to Pahalgam, where we saw some snowfall. We celebrated our New Year here (Srinagar), but there was no snowfall. The weather is pleasant and there is no pollution here." Heavy snowfall continued in the Pir Panjal range in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, further intensifying the cold wave in the region. Severe weather conditions were also felt in eastern India.
Orange alert for Odisha
A thick blanket of fog enveloped Bhubaneswar, Khurda and several other parts of Odisha on the morning of January 2, 2026, continuing a severe weather pattern that began on the first day of the new year. The weather department issued an orange alert for several districts, including Khurda and Cuttack, as visibility dropped to 50 metres in many areas.
--Advertisement--
