The northern states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh are set to remain under a thick blanket of fog until at least December 30, according to the latest forecast from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Residents have been grappling with severely reduced visibility and cold wave conditions, with the situation expected to persist for the next few days.
Severe Visibility Disruption Across North India
On Saturday, the region experienced 'dense to very dense' fog, crippling normal life and transport. The most critical conditions were reported in Punjab, where Amritsar and Jalandhar recorded zero visibility. Other major cities also faced significant challenges.
Visibility levels in Punjab were alarming:
- Patiala: 40 metres
- Ludhiana: 50 metres
- Gurdaspur and Ballowal Saunkhri: 50 to 100 metres
In Haryana, Chandigarh was the worst affected with visibility dropping to a mere 20 metres. Ambala recorded 40 metres, while Karnal saw 60 metres. Himachal Pradesh was not spared either, with Sundernagar reporting 30 metres and Bilaspur 50 metres of visibility.
IMD Forecast and Temperature Trends
The IMD has predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail during night and morning hours in several parts of these states until December 30. Isolated pockets may continue to experience similar conditions the following day.
Adding to the weather complexity, a western disturbance is expected to bring isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall or snowfall over Himachal Pradesh from December 30 to January 2.
The cold wave has tightened its grip, with minimum temperatures plunging below 5°C at several locations in Himachal Pradesh. In Punjab and Haryana, temperatures ranged between 5°C and 10°C at many places. Over the past 24 hours, a falling tendency of 1°C to 3°C was observed in parts of Himachal.
State-wise Temperature Analysis
Punjab witnessed a significant drop, with the average minimum temperature falling by 2.3°C from Friday to Saturday morning, settling near the normal mark. The state's lowest minimum temperature was a chilly 4.4°C recorded at Ballowal Saunkhri in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.
In Haryana, the average minimum temperature saw a slight fall of 0.5°C, also recorded as near normal. Gurgaon registered the state's lowest at 4.9°C.
The IMD forecasts no significant change in minimum temperatures over northwest India for the next two days. However, a gradual rise of 2°C to 4°C is expected over the subsequent three days, followed by another fall of approximately 2°C thereafter.
The persistent fog and cold conditions are advising residents to exercise caution while traveling and to take necessary precautions against the biting cold, especially during early mornings and late nights.
