North India sees severe cold; IMD warns of prolonged fog spell

New Delhi: Northern India remained gripped by severe cold on Monday as large parts of the region reported below-normal daytime temperatures and widespread fog that disrupted visibility for morning commuters. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that foggy conditions are expected to persist across many northern states for several more days, with dense to very dense fog likely to persist until December 27 in several areas.

In Delhi, residents woke to a veil of fog that briefly reduced visibility, while temperatures stayed on the lower side through the day. The IMD noted that the Capital recorded maximum temperatures of about 16 to 18 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures between 8 and 11 degrees Celsius. Although the night temperatures were slightly above normal in some parts of the city, the daytime readings stayed below the usual range. At Palam, visibility fell to 150 metres at 8 am due to moderate fog, improving to 400 metres by 9.30 am as conditions eased. The agency said Christmas Day is expected to bring mainly clear skies with shallow morning fog and temperatures that remain close to seasonal norms.

Cold weather also continued across Punjab and Haryana. Minimum temperatures rose above the long-period averages in many locations, yet the chill lingered through the day. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a low of 9.7 degrees Celsius, which the local weather office described as six notches above normal. Ludhiana saw 7.2 degrees Celsius, one notch above the average. In Haryana, Ambala registered a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, while Hisar and Karnal reported 8.9 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius respectively, both two notches above the norm.

Farther north, recent precipitation in Kashmir brought a noticeable shift in temperatures, raising night-time readings while pushing day temperatures downward. The Meteorological Department said another round of precipitation is likely within 12 hours. “Moderate snowfall is expected over the higher reaches,” the department stated, adding that light rainfall could occur in the plains.

Himachal Pradesh also remains on alert. A yellow warning has been issued for dense fog over parts of the Bhakra dam reservoir area in Bilaspur, as well as sections of Una district and the Balh valley in Mandi, during early morning and late night hours through December 26. The Shimla Met office has predicted light rain and snow at isolated high-altitude locations on December 28.

According to the broader regional outlook, scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rain and snowfall are likely across Jammu and Kashmir between December 23 and 27 and again on December 28. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may see isolated to scattered precipitation on December 22 and 28.

In Rajasthan, fog settled over several districts Monday morning. A MeT department spokesperson said Pali recorded 8 degrees Celsius, while Sirohi posted the state’s lowest minimum at 8.9 degrees Celsius.

The IMD’s extended forecast indicates dense to very dense fog over Punjab until December 27, Uttar Pradesh until December 23 and again from December 25 to 28, and over Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi from December 24 to 27. Dense fog is also likely across the western Himalayan region, Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan, north Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and north Madhya Pradesh across different intervals between December 22 and 29.