The India Meteorological Department warns of a severe winter spell hitting northern, northwestern, and eastern regions of India starting January 14. This prolonged harsh weather will last until January 19, bringing intense cold waves and dense fog.
January 14: Cold Intensifies Across States
Cold wave conditions will affect isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Rajasthan on January 14. More severely, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Punjab may experience cold wave to severe cold wave conditions. Temperatures will drop significantly in these areas.
Uttarakhand will face cold day conditions with below-normal maximum temperatures and ground frost at isolated places. Dense fog is very likely in parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, and West Uttar Pradesh. This fog raises serious concerns about disruptions to road, rail, and air traffic during morning hours.
Other regions expecting dense fog include Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. Additionally, squally weather with wind speeds of 35–45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, may affect the Comorin area, impacting small fishing operations and coastal activities.
January 15: Fog Expands Further
Cold wave conditions will persist on January 15 in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Punjab. Fog coverage will expand, with dense fog very likely over Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand.
West Uttar Pradesh may witness dense to very dense fog at isolated locations, severely reducing visibility in early mornings. No fishermen warnings have been issued for January 15, indicating calmer sea conditions except in the Comorin region.
January 16–17: Fog Becomes Primary Hazard
From January 16, fog will become the dominant weather hazard across northern and eastern states. Dense fog is likely at isolated places over Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal and Sikkim on January 16. West Uttar Pradesh will continue to face dense to very dense fog conditions.
A similar pattern is forecast for January 17, with dense fog likely over east Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal and Sikkim. Dense to very dense fog is also anticipated at isolated places in West Uttar Pradesh.
Meteorologists note that the lack of rainfall, calm winds, and low temperatures will likely sustain fog formation, especially in lowlands. Such fog events are typical during peak winter season.
January 18–19: Fog Continues Across Indo-Gangetic Plains
The fog spell will likely continue until January 18, impacting East Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Punjab. West Uttar Pradesh will experience dense to very dense fog once again.
By January 19, dense fog is likely to persist at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, marking its seventh day in north India. No fisherman warnings indicate stable sea conditions apart from the Comorin region.
Travel Disruptions and Safety Advisory
Dense and very dense fog can severely reduce visibility during early morning and night hours in north India. Major highways, rail routes, and airports may face significant disruptions. Past instances have seen flights postponed or cancelled, trains rescheduled, and national highways congested due to such fog conditions.
The IMD advises people to remain cautious, especially when traveling early in the morning in affected states. The department will monitor weather patterns closely for any updates.
This forecast highlights a prolonged winter spell dominated by cold waves and fog rather than precipitation, with the most severe conditions concentrated between January 14 and 19.
