North India Shivers as Cold Wave and Dense Fog Disrupts Daily Life

North India woke up to bone-chilling temperatures and dense fog on Saturday morning, causing disruptions in transportation and daily activities. The national capital, Delhi, recorded a minimum temperature of 8.9 degrees Celsius in Safdarjung, with dense fog affecting commuters and traffic during the early hours.

Rehearsals for the upcoming January 26th Republic Day parade continued at Kartavya Path, despite the challenging cold wave and fog conditions persisting in Delhi. Several flights in the region were delayed due to the harsh weather, prompting Spicejet airline to issue advisories for passengers regarding potential disruptions in airports like Amritsar, Jammu, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Patna, Jaipur, Shirdi, and Darbhanga.

Fog and inclement weather also impacted train services to and from the national capital, with many passengers facing delays and cancellations. A passenger from Dhanbad reported a four to five-hour delay in their train, attributing it to adverse weather conditions.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut city, residents resorted to sitting by bonfires to keep warm as temperatures dropped. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Meerut is expected to experience ‘Dense Fog’ with a minimum temperature of 7°C and a maximum of 18°C.

The impact of the cold wave extended to other regions, with Jammu Division, West Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh, and East Uttar Pradesh witnessing very dense fog. Dense fog was observed in many parts of Punjab, East Madhya Pradesh, and East Rajasthan, while moderate fog affected isolated areas of Uttarakhand and Tripura.

Mount Abu in Sirohi district experienced a chilling minimum temperature of 4°C, leading to a layer of frost on vehicles and prompting locals to light bonfires for warmth. Jaipur, too, saw dense fog enveloping the city, with the IMD predicting ‘Dense or Very Dense Fog with cold day conditions’ and a minimum temperature of 8°C.

Tamil Nadu also encountered dense fog in areas like Ooty, Kotagiri, and Coonoor in the Nilgiris district, reducing visibility. The region has been experiencing light rainfall in several areas.

The IMD has forecasted dense to very dense fog conditions over the next two days in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and east Rajasthan. Cold-day to severe cold day conditions prevailed in many places over Haryana, few places over Rajasthan, and some pockets over Punjab on Friday. The weather agency predicts no significant change in minimum temperatures over North India for the next five days.”