The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts persistent dense fog blanketing northwest, central, east and northeast India during morning hours on January 6, 2026, with cold day conditions intensifying across multiple states.
Cold wave alerts target isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand, as minimum temperatures could drop further amid weak Western Disturbances.
Recent dense fog episodes, with visibility dipping to zero meters in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, signal ongoing transport disruptions and public safety risks.
FOG AND VISIBILITY CHALLENGES
Dense to very dense fog (visibility under 200 meters) will continue in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, East Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan on January 6.
East Uttar Pradesh faces extended impacts through January 12, while Bihar and Assam may see morning haze till January 10. Past 24-hour reports noted zero visibility at Gorakhpur, Gwalior and Jabalpur, grounding flights and snarling highways from Delhi to Patna.
Upper-level fog cleared from most parts of Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, and western Uttar Pradesh on Monday morning, allowing sunshine to return this afternoon. However, the clearer skies will lead to a sharp drop in night temperatures, falling by 2-3°C from current levels. A fresh spell of surface-level fog is likely to develop again on Tuesday morning.
“The Western Himalayan region may witness increased cloud cover with isolated snowfall in some areas. From the Jammu region up to Shimla, and across Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan, and northern Madhya Pradesh, dense morning fog is likely, though it is expected to clear as winds strengthen later in the day,” Devendra Tripathi, the founder of Mausam Tak and a prominent weather vlogger for Kisan Tak, said.
COLD DAY AND WAVE OUTLOOK
Cold day conditions, maximum temperatures 4.5°C or more below normal, are very likely over Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, East Rajasthan and Jharkhand on January 6.
West Rajasthan and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal face similar chills through January 7. Cold waves, defined by minimums 4.5°C below normal with drops over 6.5°C in 24 hours, could hit isolated areas of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh between January 6-9, East Rajasthan (6-10), Chhattisgarh (6-8) and Jharkhand (6-7).
Minimum temperatures will fall 2-3°C over Northwest and Central India by January 6, with plains recording lows around 2.4°C as seen in Etawah recently.
Ground frost threatens Uttarakhand, while light snowfall or rain may dust Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
