Dense fog continues in North India, IMD issues red alert
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that dense fog will continue to affect parts of North India, including the national capital Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, till Thursday. The cold wave and fog conditions have already disrupted train and flight operations in the region. The weather department also issued a red alert for Northwest and Central India for the next two days. In addition, rainfall is expected in some areas of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Lakshadweep till Wednesday.
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Most northern states and union territories have been witnessing dense fog amid the cold wave. Heavy fog on the Indo-Gangetic Plain and snowfall in the hills have made commuting difficult, especially when people are preparing to celebrate the New Year. On Thursday, more than 130 flights faced delays at Delhi's airport. Some neighboring states also reported many traffic accidents. In some areas, many people were forced to use shelter houses as a refuge from the bitter cold.
Poor visibility affects train, flight operations
Several places experienced zero visibility, including Jorhat in Assam, Pathankot and Bathinda (Punjab), Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), and Agra (Uttar Pradesh). The visibility dropped to 25 meters in Ambala (Haryana), 50 meters in Bikaner (Rajasthan), Patiala (Punjab), Chandigarh, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), and Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), and 200 meters in Amritsar (Punjab) and Hisar (Haryana). At least 23 trains to and from Delhi are running late, while flight operation was affected at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, with 800 meters visibility.
Cold-day conditions expected in these states
Cold-day conditions are predicted by the IMD for parts of Punjab, Haryana, and isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and North Rajasthan on Sunday. Over the next two days, minimum temperatures are expected to rise by 2-3 degrees in many parts of Central India, with significant changes thereafter. Maximum temperatures will likely decrease by 2-3 degrees in several areas of Central and Northwest India during the same period, while minimum temperatures will remain stable elsewhere.
Useful information thread shared by IMD on X
Snowfall forecast in J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand; rains in Tamil Nadu
Meanwhile, the IMD said that the western disturbances may result in some light rain or snow in J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on Sunday. It also predicted light to medium rain in parts of south Tamil Nadu, south Kerala, and Lakshadweep till Wednesday (January 3) due to new weather patterns over the Indian Ocean and southeast Arabian Sea. Separately, the IMD predicted heavy rain on Saturday in some areas in south Tamil Nadu.
