Weather today: Dense fog, cold wave grip North, mercury dips; snow in hills

North India remains under dense fog and cold wave conditions as temperatures stay below normal. IMD warns of travel disruptions, with snowfall likely in Himalayan states and rain in the plains

A biting winter spell continues to grip Delhi and the National Capital Region, with dense to very dense fog, cold wave and cold day conditions persisting, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Early morning visibility dropped sharply in several areas, disrupting traffic, while residents woke up to one of the coldest days of the season.

 

The city recorded a minimum temperature of around 3 degrees Celsius, significantly below normal for mid-January. The IMD has warned that cold wave conditions are very likely at isolated places over Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, while cold day conditions are expected to prevail in pockets of the region.

 

VIDEO | Delhi: Dense fog engulfs parts of the city as the region continues to reel under intense cold conditions. Early morning visuals from Akshardham Temple area.  At 2.9 degrees Celsius, Delhi logged its coldest morning of the season on Thursday.#WeatherUpdate #Delhi… pic.twitter.com/5Z8esJysnW

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 16, 2026

Transport hit as visibility drops

Dense fog during night and early morning hours reduced visibility to low levels across Delhi-NCR, leading to delays in flights and trains. Commuters faced slow-moving traffic on arterial roads, with authorities urging motorists to drive cautiously, use fog lights and avoid unnecessary travel during peak fog hours.

 

The IMD has forecast that dense to very dense fog is likely to continue over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next few days, particularly during late night and early morning periods.  ALSO READ | Delhi AQI remains 'very poor' as city sees season's lowest temperature

Cold conditions across north India

Beyond the capital, cold wave conditions are expected over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Odisha, while ground frost is likely at isolated places in Uttarakhand. Large swathes of north and east India, including Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya, are also set to witness dense fog conditions.

 

Although a gradual rise in minimum temperatures is expected over northwest India by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius over the coming days, the relief is likely to be slow, with chilly nights continuing in the interim.  ALSO READ | Airlines warn of flight delays as dense fog shrouds north India; ops stable

Snowfall and rainfall in the hills

A western disturbance is influencing weather patterns over the western Himalayan region, bringing light to moderate snowfall and rainfall to Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand between January 16 and 21. Rain is also forecast over Punjab between January 18 and 20, and over Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh on January 18 and 19.

 

The IMD has advised people, especially the elderly, children and those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor exposure during extreme cold and foggy conditions. Travellers have been urged to keep track of weather updates as winter conditions are likely to remain severe over large parts of north India in the coming days.