Cold wave tightens grip on Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The cold wave sweeping across Uttar Pradesh continues to disrupt life, with icy westerly winds, dense fog, and a fresh spell of rain aggravating the bone-chilling conditions.

According to the Regional Meteorological Center in Lucknow, light rain was reported on Monday in several parts of western Uttar Pradesh, including Baghpat and areas bordering Delhi. Hailstones accompanied rainfall in the national capital, compounding the cold weather. Light showers are likely to extend to northwestern districts such as Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Aligarh, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, and Meerut.

“The change in weather is due to the impact of a Western Disturbance,” said Atul Kumar Singh, senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Center. “Rainfall in the northwestern parts of the state will lead to a further drop in temperatures. Dense to moderate fog is expected to persist across the state for the next three to four days.”

The dense fog has significantly hampered visibility, creating hazardous conditions for commuters. On Monday, visibility dropped to zero in several cities, including Barabanki, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Amethi, and Azamgarh, as well as the state capital Lucknow. In regions like Ballia, Bahraich, Churk, Sonbhadra, and Orai, visibility was reduced to less than 50 meters, further complicating vehicular movement.

Residents in these affected areas are grappling with the dual challenges of severe cold and disrupted mobility.