Weather update: Cold wave, dense fog tighten grip on north India; heavy rain lashes south Tamil Nadu

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are set to persist across large parts of north India over the next few days, while dense to very dense fog is likely to continue disrupting morning visibility in several regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to a press release issued by IMD, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely to experience cold wave to severe cold wave conditions on January 12 and 13, with cold wave conditions continuing in isolated pockets on January 14 before gradually easing.

Dense fog conditions are expected to prevail during morning hours over northwest India and Bihar for the next five days, potentially impacting road, rail and air travel.


Fog, cold wave intensify across north and east India

During the past 24 hours ending 0830 IST on January 11, dense to very dense fog was reported in many parts of Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Bihar and Punjab. Extremely low visibility was recorded in several locations, including Amritsar where visibility dropped to zero metres, and Pilani in east Rajasthan where visibility stood at 90 metres.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions were observed over parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan, while cold wave conditions prevailed in Jharkhand. Ground frost was recorded in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand.

The lowest minimum temperature over the plains of India was recorded at 1.2°C in Pilani (east Rajasthan). Minimum temperatures remained appreciably below normal across large parts of northwest India, including south Punjab, south Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.

Cold day conditions, fog warnings issued

The IMD said cold day conditions are likely to prevail in isolated parts of Bihar between January 11 and 16. Dense to very dense fog is likely to persist in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh till January 13, and over Bihar till January 12, with dense fog continuing in isolated areas thereafter. Similar fog conditions are also expected in parts of Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan over the coming days.

Magh Mela weather

In Agra, a thin layer of fog enveloped the Taj Mahal, creating low-visibility conditions at the Taj View Point area.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city's maximum temperature is expected to hover around 20 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to drop to 7 degrees Celsius as cold conditions intensify.

Despite the extreme cold, devotees continued to arrive in large numbers at the Sangam in Prayagraj, undeterred by the plunging temperatures.

Pilgrims took a holy dip in the early hours of the morning, as the spiritual fervour of the Magh Mela remained strong amid harsh winter conditions.

The Magh Mela of Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), which takes place at the divine Triveni Sangam, the place of confluence of the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati, is one of the largest pilgrimages in India. The pilgrimage is named after the Hindu month of Magh, which typically falls in January-February.

The Prayag Magh Mela is a 45-day pilgrimage that begins on Paush Purnima (the full moon day of the month of Paush) and ends on Mahashivaratri, spanning the entire month of Magh.

Meanwhile, cold wave conditions were also reported in Haridwar, where dense fog blanketed the Har ki Paudi ghat, significantly affecting visibility.

Heavy rain in south Tamil Nadu

In southern India, heavy rainfall was recorded at isolated places over south Tamil Nadu. Velankanni in Nagapattinam district recorded 9 cm of rainfall during the past 24 hours.

The IMD said the depression over north coastal Sri Lanka has weakened into a low-pressure area over south coastal Tamil Nadu and adjoining Gulf of Mannar, with a remnant cyclonic circulation persisting in the lower tropospheric levels, contributing to rainfall activity.

Minimum temperatures in the national capital are expected to hover between 2°C and 4°C, remaining appreciably below normal.

Travel advisory

IMD cautioned that dense fog could affect highways, rail routes and flight operations, while prolonged cold exposure may increase the risk of respiratory illnesses and frostbite, especially among vulnerable populations.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into parts of the Gulf of Mannar, the Comorin area and adjoining regions of the Bay of Bengal between January 11 and 16 due to rough sea conditions.

With inputs from ANI