Lucknow Experiences Bitter Cold, Records Lowest Temperature in Two Years
Lucknow shivered through an exceptionally cold night as the mercury plunged to a two-year low. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. This reading stands 3.4 degrees Celsius below the normal seasonal average, marking a significant dip.
Fog Blankets the City, Disrupting Daily Life
Dense fog engulfed Lucknow from Friday night, making roads nearly invisible. Visibility dropped sharply to below 50 meters between 7 am and 8:30 am on Saturday. Vehicles crawled along at a slow pace with headlights switched on for safety. The fog began to clear around 10 am, but a lingering haze persisted until 11 am. After that, the city enjoyed some sunny relief, with the maximum temperature reaching 20.9 degrees Celsius.
Met Department Explains the Weather Phenomenon
Senior scientist Mohammad Danish from the Met department provided insights into the dense fog. He attributed it to a western disturbance approaching Pakistan. This system brings abundant moisture into the environment. As the disturbance moves eastward, it often creates a cyclonic circulation that draws moisture from the Arabian Sea at lower levels. Additionally, it acts as a non-monsoonal low-pressure system, gathering moisture from the Mediterranean Sea.
Danish warned that fog might occur again on Sunday. He also indicated the possibility of strong winds in the coming days. For Sunday, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy sky during the daytime. Shallow fog may appear in the morning and night. Temperatures are expected to range between a maximum of 22 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 7 degrees Celsius.
Historical Context and Regional Impact
Last winter, Lucknow's lowest minimum temperature was 5.5 degrees Celsius. In 2024, it dropped further to 3.6 degrees Celsius. The current reading of 4.4 degrees Celsius represents the coldest night in the past two years.
The chill extended beyond Lucknow to other districts in Uttar Pradesh. Barabanki recorded the lowest temperature at 3.5 degrees Celsius. Hardoi followed with 3.6 degrees Celsius, while Muzaffarnagar registered 4.4 degrees Celsius. Najibabad and Ayodhya both recorded 4.5 degrees Celsius, highlighting a widespread cold wave across the region.
