Lucknow Wakes Up to Dense Fog and Chilly Conditions
The city of Lucknow greeted residents with dense fog and biting cold winds on Saturday, creating a persistent chill that lasted throughout the day and extended into the late evening hours. Both daytime and night-time temperatures recorded a significant drop, making it one of the colder days this season.
Meteorological Factors Behind the Weather Shift
Meteorologists explained that roads were blanketed in thick fog due to moisture influx from the Arabian Sea moving into the plains. Simultaneously, a western disturbance brought cool westerly winds originating from the snow-clad mountains, intensifying the cold spell across the region.
Upcoming Weather Forecast for Lucknow
The city is likely to receive light rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to weather officials. February is expected to be warmer than usual, which may ease the current cold wave conditions. Senior scientist Mohammad Danish from the state Met centre stated, "Monday will be partly cloudy, and after Tuesday, there is a possibility of rain in the city due to a fresh western disturbance."
He further detailed that Sunday would see mainly clear skies, turning partly cloudy towards the evening and night. Maximum and minimum temperatures are anticipated to hover around 20 and 10 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Statewide Weather Patterns and Rainfall Data
Across Uttar Pradesh, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely at a few places in western UP, while light to very light rain is expected at isolated places in eastern UP. Dense fog is very likely at isolated locations across the state, with cold-day conditions probable at isolated places in eastern UP.
Danish highlighted significant rainfall variations: UP received 31% more rainfall than normal, whereas eastern UP recorded 67% less than normal. Overall, the state's average monthly rainfall was 26% below the usual mark.
The state also experienced notable weather extremes, including:
- Significant temperature fluctuations
- 23 days of dense fog
- Four days each of cold-day and cold-wave conditions
Long-Term Temperature Projections
The average monthly minimum temperature in February is likely to be above normal across much of the state. Consequently, the number of cold-wave days may decrease by 1–3 days compared to the climatic average, indicating a gradual warming trend as the month progresses.
