Prolonged dense fog, cold wave to grip north India, heavy rain likely in south | Check IMD forecast

New Delhi: India is set to experience an extended spell of harsh winter conditions, with widespread dense fog, cold days and cold waves affecting multiple regions, even as southern states prepare for heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a series of warnings for the coming days, urging caution amid reduced visibility, falling temperatures and adverse marine conditions.

According to the IMD, dense to very dense fog is likely to prevail during morning hours over northwest India and Bihar for the next five to seven days, significantly disrupting road, rail and air travel. Foggy conditions are also expected over parts of central India, northeast India, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim for the next two to three days.

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States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Bihar are likely to see fog in phases till mid-January.

Over the past 24 hours, visibility dropped sharply in several areas, with parts of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam recording visibility below 50 metres. Cities including Bareilly, Prayagraj, Kanpur and Varanasi reported near-zero visibility at times.

The IMD has warned that cold day conditions may continue in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh, Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

Simultaneously, cold wave conditions are very likely in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and north interior Karnataka. Severe cold wave conditions have already been reported from parts of Himachal Pradesh, while ground frost has been observed in isolated areas of Uttarakhand.

Minimum temperatures have fallen below 0 degrees Celsius at several locations in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Among the plains, Sikar in Rajasthan recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 2.5 degrees Celsius. Many regions have reported temperatures 3–5 degrees Celsius below normal.

The IMD noted that minimum temperatures over northwest and east India are unlikely to change significantly over the next seven days, while central India and Maharashtra may witness a gradual rise of 2–3 degrees Celsius.

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Meanwhile, a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving west-northwestwards and is expected to cross the Sri Lanka coast on January 9. Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu on January 9 and 10, while Kerala may receive heavy rain on January 10. Thunderstorms and lightning are also expected at isolated locations.

Strong winds of 50–60 kmph, gusting up to 70 kmph, and very rough sea conditions are forecast over the Bay of Bengal, the Sri Lanka coast, Gulf of Mannar and along the Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast. Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore until conditions improve.