Large parts of north, central and eastern India are likely to continue witnessing dense to very dense fog and cold day conditions over the coming days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
At the same time, a much-awaited spell of snowfall at most popular tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley occurred last week, bringing cheer to tourists and stakeholders in the tourism sector. The wet weather also ended a prolonged and alarming dry spell in the region. The fresh snowfall coincided with the first day of Chillai Kalan, the 40-day harsh winter period in Kashmir, traditionally known for extreme cold and freezing conditions.
Delhi weather
Cold waves and fog continue to grip the national capital, delaying flights and disrupting transport services and normal life. For the next few days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a mainly clear sky, with shallow to moderate fog at many places during morning hours. A yellow alert has been issued for December 26–27.
Fog and cold wave forecast
The IMD has forecast dense to very dense fog during night and morning hours across several regions:
Uttar Pradesh: Till December 28; in some parts during December 29–31
Punjab: Till December 27; again during December 29–31
Haryana and Delhi: During December 27–29 and again December 29–31
Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh: Till December 29
Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan and Muzaffarabad: In isolated pockets till December 28
Bihar: In some pockets till December 25 and during December 25–29
Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim: Till December 26
Odisha, Assam and Meghalaya: Till December 29
Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura: Till December 27
Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan during December 25–27.
Snowfall and rainfall forecast
Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall or snowfall is very likely:
Over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad during December 27–30
Over Himachal Pradesh on December 28 and 30
Over Uttarakhand on December 29 and 30
Impact expected due to dense and very dense fog
The IMD has warned that dense and very dense fog may have multiple impacts across affected regions. Fog is likely to disrupt transport and aviation services, affecting airports, highways and railway routes, while inadequate precautions could increase the risk of road traffic collisions. Very dense fog may also lead to tripping of power lines in some areas. Prolonged exposure to fog could cause health issues, including lung-related problems, particularly among people with asthma and bronchitis, and may also result in eye irritation.
