IMD warns of cold wave, dense fog across northern states

New Delhi: A harsh cold spell gripped northern India on Saturday, with temperatures dropping below freezing in several parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Across the plains, chilly conditions persisted, accompanied by thick early-morning fog.

The weather office has warned that cold wave conditions could affect isolated parts of Delhi between January 4 and 7, and has issued a yellow alert for dense fog in the capital on Sunday.

A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature falls 4.5 to 6.5 degrees Celsius below the normal seasonal average, reported PTI.

Delhi recorded a minimum of 8.1°C — 1.2°C above normal — while the maximum settled at 17.3°C, around two degrees below average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Ayanagar registered the lowest local minimum at 6.9°C, and Lodhi Road reported the highest local maximum at 17.6°C.

Visibility dropped sharply in the morning due to dense fog. Safdarjung reported visibility of 800 metres around 9 am, later improving to 1,200 metres, the IMD said.

Along the western Himalayas, temperatures fell below freezing at many locations.

After a brief respite, sub-zero temperatures returned to Kashmir, the IMD noted. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.5°C, down from 0.1°C the previous night. Gulmarg stayed the coldest at minus 6.5°C, while Pahalgam registered minus 5.2°C. Minimum temperatures fell to minus 2.6°C in Qazigund, minus 0.8°C in Kokernag, and minus 1.6°C in Kupwara.

The region is currently in the grip of ‘Chilla-e-Kalan’, the 40-day stretch of intense winter, when temperatures typically plunge, and snowfall is most likely. Light rain or snow is expected at higher elevations in north and central Kashmir on January 5 and 6, with mostly dry weather likely until January 4.

In Himachal Pradesh, cold wave conditions prevailed as the IMD issued a yellow alert for dense fog at isolated spots in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, and Sirmaur between January 4 and 7.

Kukumseri recorded the state’s lowest minimum at minus 7°C, followed by Tabo at minus 6.4°C and Kalpa at minus 2.2°C. Light snowfall is forecast for parts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti on January 6. Despite the chill, Solan was the warmest with a maximum of 19°C.

Tourist destinations also shivered: Manali recorded 0.2°C, Narkanda 0.4°C, Palampur 1°C, Kufri 2.7°C, Dharamshala 4.2°C and Shimla 4.5°C. Higher reaches and mountain passes remained bitterly cold, with temperatures plunging 8–12°C below freezing.

In Uttarakhand, fog is expected to persist in the foothills, and cold-day conditions may prevail in some areas due to below-normal daytime temperatures. Fog is likely over the next two to three days in Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, and low-lying parts of Dehradun, Pauri, and Nainital.

Day temperatures in Udham Singh Nagar hovered between 14–15°C, about four degrees below normal. Dehradun recorded a maximum of 17.5°C and a minimum of 8.9°C. No rain is expected for four to five days, although light snowfall was reported in high-altitude areas such as Badrinath and Hemkund on New Year’s Day.

In Punjab and Haryana, the cold persisted even as minimum temperatures stayed above normal in many places. Mahendragarh was the coldest in Haryana at 4°C. Chandigarh recorded 9.3°C. Faridkot was Punjab’s coldest at 5.5°C, while Amritsar and Ludhiana recorded 7.5°C and 9.6°C, respectively.

Parts of Rajasthan also experienced cold conditions, with dense to very dense fog in the east. Fatehpur in Sikar district logged the lowest at 2.8°C. The IMD advised precautions during early-morning travel, saying dry weather is likely over the next week, with a slight drop in minimum temperatures and possible cold wave conditions in northern areas.

In Uttar Pradesh, several regions reported cold-day conditions as maximum temperatures stayed below normal, and dense fog reduced visibility at night and early morning. Lucknow registered a maximum of 16.9°C and a minimum of 11.4°C. The IMD predicted shallow fog with partly clear skies later in the day.

Barabanki, Hardoi, Bareilly, and Moradabad recorded maximums ranging from 14.1°C to 15.2°C. Agra and Aligarh recorded minimum temperatures of 6.9°C and 6.4°C, with no rainfall reported across the state.