Dense fog and cold wave envelopes cities across India

Dense fog and cold wave envelopes cities across India, IMD warns

KAKALI DAS

Thick blankets of fog enveloped cities across India on the morning of January 3rd, 2025 stretching from Delhi, Jaipur, and Amritsar in the northwest to Gwalior, Varanasi, and Guwahati in the east.

This dense fog disrupted visibility and caused significant challenges for commuters and travelers. Meanwhile, parts of north India, including the national capital, remain gripped by an intense cold wave, with temperatures plummeting to record lows.

The chilling conditions, coupled with the fog, have compounded difficulties for the region’s residents, as transportation delays and increased health risks become pressing concerns.

Dense fog and cold wave envelopes cities across India — Image: Powershift

On January 3rd, the Delhi airport issued an advisory in light of the dense fog, cautioning passengers about potential delays in flight operations throughout the day. The foggy conditions are anticipated to persist for several days, affecting cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Amritsar, and Guwahati.

Travelers have been advised to stay updated on flight schedules and plan accordingly.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for dense to very dense fog across several regions, including Delhi and parts of Rajasthan such as Kota, Bundi, Sikar, and Sriganganagar.

The advisory also extends to Punjab’s Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Kapurthala, as well as Haryana’s Kurukshetra, Ambala, Panchkula, and Yamunanagar.

Meanwhile, light rainfall and snowfall are forecasted in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, offering a wintry respite to these areas.

Flights of several airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India, faced disruptions as dense fog impacted operations. The Delhi airport reported an average delay of 5 minutes for arriving flights and 11 minutes for departing flights, according to FlightRadar24. SpiceJet announced that all flights to and from Amritsar and Guwahati were affected due to adverse weather conditions, further complicating travel plans for passengers.

IndiGo issued a travel advisory with a particular focus on routes connecting Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Guwahati, cautioning passengers about potential delays. Meanwhile, train services to and from Delhi are also experiencing disruptions, with several trains running behind schedule and some routes operating with revised timings.

The first cold wave of the season was recorded in India on December 10, 2024, leading to a progressive and significant drop in temperatures. This has been accompanied by normal to heavy rainfall in various parts of the country, intensifying the winter chill.

What exactly is a cold wave? According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a cold wave is defined as a condition in which the minimum temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius or below in the plains and 0 degrees Celsius or below in the hills. For it to qualify as a cold wave, these conditions must persist for at least three consecutive days.

Why is this happening? Experts attribute the current weather conditions to western disturbances, which are a series of cyclonic systems interacting with easterly winds. This phenomenon has resulted in dense fog and heavy rainfall, impacting various regions across northern, eastern, southern, and north-eastern India.

Last year, Kashmir experienced its coldest winter in five decades, with temperatures plummeting to –8.5 degrees Celsius. This period of extreme cold, usually lasting from December 20 to January 30, is locally known as “Chillai Kalan.” The frigid conditions have led to parts of the picturesque Dal Lake freezing, along with water supply lines in several areas of the valley.

Moving eastward, Odisha faced its own challenges due to heavy rainfall, which led to widespread crop damage. In response, the state government intervened to address the situation, vowing to purchase the affected produce from farmers, even if it doesn’t meet the fair average quality standards. This initiative aims to support farmers and alleviate the damage caused by the severe weather.

In this context, the issue of weather forecasting in the era of climate change becomes increasingly important. On this matter, IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mahapatra stated, “Climate change poses challenges to weather forecasts.

However, our accuracy in predicting heavy rainfall has improved from 60% to 80% over the last five years. We have implemented measures to address the challenges posed by climate change, enabling us to detect and predict even the smallest changes in weather patterns.”

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