A thick blanket of fog and a sharp drop in temperatures made an abrupt return to the Tricity region on Tuesday, catching residents off guard and severely disrupting daily life. The cities of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali were enveloped in dense fog, leading to significant travel chaos and a renewed spell of intense cold.
Visibility Plummets, Travel Thrown into Disarray
The most immediate impact of the weather shift was on transportation. At the Chandigarh International Airport, visibility levels plunged dramatically, falling below the required 50 meters for flight operations. This led to the cancellation of one flight and the diversion of another. A SpiceJet flight bound for Delhi was cancelled outright, while an IndiGo flight from Mumbai was forced to divert to Delhi due to the impossible landing conditions.
Rail travel was not spared either. Several trains running through the region, including key services like the Chandigarh-Delhi Shatabdi Express and the Jan Shatabdi Express, faced substantial delays. Commuters faced long waits as schedules were thrown off by the reduced visibility and cautious operations necessitated by the fog.
IMD Issues Warning for Continued Cold Spell
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has attributed this sudden change to a fresh western disturbance affecting Northwest India. The weather office has forecast that cold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely to continue over the region for the next two days. This means that while fog may lift slightly during the day, maximum temperatures will remain significantly below normal, failing to provide any real respite from the chill.
Residents reported a stark contrast to the relatively warmer and sunny weather experienced just a day prior. The minimum temperature in Chandigarh settled at a chilly 6.5 degrees Celsius, with the maximum struggling to reach around 17 degrees, which is several notches below the seasonal average.
Public Advisory and Health Precautions
Local authorities have advised citizens, especially the elderly, children, and those with respiratory issues, to take necessary precautions. The combination of cold air and fog can exacerbate health problems. People are advised to:
- Avoid early morning and late evening outdoor activities when fog is densest.
- Wear layered clothing to protect against the cold.
- Drivers must use fog lights and drive at low speeds, maintaining safe distances.
The swift return of these harsh winter conditions serves as a reminder that the winter season is not yet over for North India. The IMD's forecast suggests that residents of the Tricity should brace for a few more days of foggy mornings and cold days before any significant warming trend sets in. Travelers are strongly recommended to check their flight and train statuses before heading out to avoid inconvenience.
