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As winter continues to grip the country, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday (January 15) predicted strikingly diverse weather conditions,
with sporadic rain showers in the south and east and a cold wave and dense fog in the north.
A cold wave persists in northern and northwestern India, bringing with it extremely chilly mornings and persistent dense fog, particularly in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, and Haryana.
The NCR region woke up under a dense fog blanket, significantly reducing visibility and prompting a 'yellow' weather alert from the IMD. Besides slowing down traffic on the roads and interfering with flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the fog made it difficult for many commuters to get through the early hours. Furthermore, the IMD has issued a nowcast warning for "very dense fog," which is in effect till 9:03 am.
Northern India: Bitter Cold Wave and Dense Fog Continue
Northern India, including the Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, continues to experience widespread dense to extremely dense fog and prolonged cold wave conditions on January 15. With minimum temperatures well below average for mid-January, the IMD issued cold wave to severe cold wave alerts for isolated areas of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and parts of Rajasthan.
The red alert for fog cautions against extremely poor visibility. According to the IMD alert, "Very Dense Fog is very likely to occur at many places over Central, New Delhi, North, North West, South, and South West in the next three hours."
In its latest meteorological report, the IMD stated, "Dense to very dense fog conditions very likely to prevail in morning/night hours in isolated/some parts over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi till January 16 and dense fog in isolated pockets till January 19.”
Western India: Cool and Dry with Fog in Plains
The weather in western India, including Gujarat and Western Rajasthan, remains cold and dry, with no major rainfall predicted. Temperatures in cities like Ahmedabad are expected to be close to seasonal norms, with pleasant afternoon sunlight and low breezes. Minimums at night will still be cool. Dense fog is likely to persist in isolated early-morning areas of western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Central India: Mild with scattered morning fog
The weather in central India, encompassing Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, appears to be relatively calm, with low daytime temperatures and scattered fog predicted in the early morning. Although it is not expected to be as pervasive as in the northern plains, fog may impair vision in low-lying areas. Daily activities are expected to continue with little influence from the weather.
Eastern India: Cool with morning mist
Cool weather with morning mist or thin fog is expected in eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, particularly in the Gangetic plains. While afternoon temperatures will rise to more pleasant levels under clear skies, dense fog may form in isolated areas during the early hours. Travellers are cautioned to be aware of poor visibility in rural areas on January 15.
Southern India: Stable weather and dry conditions
The weather in southern India is mainly dry on January 15. Sunny skies and mild to warm temperatures will be observed in major cities like Bengaluru and Chennai. Despite reports of poor air quality in several metropolitan areas, Chennai's weather remains pleasant with no immediate rain predicted. There will be little rainfall and mild winter temperatures in Hyderabad and neighbouring areas of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Northeastern India: Cool with isolated fog
Cold weather with sporadic morning fog patches is predicted for northeastern regions, like Assam and Meghalaya. Skies should clear during the day, resulting in normal winter weather free of significant rain or storms.
