Visibility drops as dense fog blankets north India; Delhi on orange alert

Cold wave conditions may prevail in several north Indian states on December 29, with rainfall and snowfall expected across the western Himalayas from December 30 till January 2

Delhi and several north Indian states woke up to dense fog on Monday, with visibility dropping sharply across many regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that dense to very dense fog is likely to persist over the next few days, especially during the night and early morning hours.

 

Foggy conditions are expected to continue over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and parts of Uttar Pradesh till December 31. Eastern Uttar Pradesh may see reduced visibility till January 1, with gradual improvement thereafter.

#WATCH | Delhi | Visibility in the national capital is affected as a layer of toxic smog engulfs the city. CPCB claims that the AQI in the area is at '459', categorised as 'Severe'.  (Visuals from Akshardham) pic.twitter.com/NsrgOMk87C

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2025

Isolated pockets of dense fog are also likely over Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. Similar conditions may prevail over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, and Meghalaya, along with Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Odisha till January 1, the IMD said.

 

 

Why has Delhi been put on orange alert?

 

The weather department has issued an orange alert for Delhi for December 29. The maximum temperature in the national capital is expected to hover around 22 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may settle near 7 degrees Celsius.

 

According to the IMD’s seven-day outlook, Delhi is likely to experience mainly clear skies, but morning hours will continue to see moderate to very dense fog. Calm winds and low temperatures are favourable for pollutant accumulation, raising concerns that poor air quality may persist in the near term.

 

Why are schools shut in Uttar Pradesh till January 1?

 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday ordered the closure of all schools up to Class 12 across the state till January 1 due to prevailing cold conditions. The directive applies to ICSE, CBSE, and UP Board schools.

 

Stressing that the safety of children is paramount, the chief minister also asked senior officials to conduct field visits and ensure adequate arrangements, such as bonfires and blankets at public places, besides strengthening night shelters so that no one is forced to sleep in the open during the cold spell.

 

Where are cold wave conditions being reported?

 

Cold day conditions are very likely in isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand till December 29.

 

Cold wave conditions are expected in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh on Monday.

 

Meanwhile, a fresh western disturbance is likely to impact the western Himalayan region from December 30, with its effects extending to adjoining plains from December 31 onwards.

 

How badly has visibility been affected across cities?

 

Visibility fell below 50 metres at several locations in north India. Dense fog was also reported in isolated areas of Jammu division, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Reduced visibility was observed across parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Odisha, Bihar, and the northeastern states.

 

Cities such as Amritsar, Pathankot, Agra, Prayagraj, and Gwalior reported near-zero visibility at times. In Delhi, the Safdarjung area recorded visibility of around 100 metres during morning hours on December 28.

 

Cold to severe cold day conditions were observed in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, while parts of Uttarakhand and Bihar also reported cold day conditions. Cold wave conditions were recorded in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

 

What is the IMD’s forecast for rain and snowfall?

 

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall and snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad between December 30 and January 2. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand may also receive isolated rain or snowfall during this period.

 

Light rainfall is likely in parts of Punjab, Haryana, west Uttar Prades,h and Rajasthan between December 31 and January 1.

 

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are expected over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands till January