Dense Fog Alert Issued In Uttar Pradesh; Barabanki And Hardoi Shiver At 6°C Amid Cold Wave Conditions

New Delhi: Severe cold wave has gripped Uttar Pradesh, bringing with it a thick blanket of fog that has hampered visibility and normal routines in the state. IMD said temperatures have dipped below normal levels, marking one of the more intense stretches of the current winter season.

The IMD predicted intense fog will continue to blanket both eastern and western Uttar Pradesh during the night and morning periods until at least January 5. While the most widespread "dense to very dense" conditions are expected between January 2 and 4, the agency warns that pockets of poor visibility may still occur in the coming days.

Widespread Fog Warning Across Uttar Pradesh

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed a vast stretch of Uttar Pradesh under a dense fog alert for the weekend of January 3-4, 2026. Authorities have cautioned residents in over 30 districts to prepare for hazardous travel conditions, as visibility is expected to drop sharply during the late-night and early-morning hours.

Extensive coverage is expected in Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, and Kushinagar, along with neighboring areas like Deoria, Mau, Ballia, and Azamgarh. Thick fog blankets are forecast for Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Gonda, Basti, and surrounding districts including Balrampur, Shravasti, and Siddharth Nagar.

Communities in Jhansi, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, and Lalitpur should anticipate significant whiteouts, as well as those in Banda, Chitrakoot, and Fatehpur. Low visibility will also persist in Bareilly, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit.

Reduced Visibility

Extreme weather has already drastically reduced visibility across the state. In eastern regions, cities like Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, and Kanpur experienced near-total whiteouts, while western districts including Agra and Jhansi faced similarly hazardous conditions.

According to the IMD, major hubs such as Lucknow, Varanasi, and Ayodhya saw visibility plummet to a mere 50 metres.

Nighttime temperatures throughout Uttar Pradesh have plummeted significantly, with certain western and eastern districts seeing anomalies of over 5 degrees Celcius below the standard seasonal markers.

The IMD highlights that this sharp decline is creating sustained cold stress for the population, particularly during the late-night and dawn hours.

In Lucknow, the daytime high plummeted by seven degrees to reach 14 degrees Celsius, while the overnight low settled at 8.6degrees Celsius. The state's most extreme cold was recorded in Barabanki and Hardoi, where the mercury dipped to a minimum of 6 degrees Celsius. 

Meanwhile, Bareilly endured the most frigid daytime conditions in Uttar Pradesh with a maximum of 13.3 degrees Celsius followed closely by the state capital as the second coldest city.

School Closure

In response to a severe cold wave, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has mandated the closure of all educational institutions across Uttar Pradesh until January 5. The order applies to all school boards, including CBSE, ICSE, and the state board, covering students from primary levels through Class 12. Beyond school closures, the Chief Minister has placed district officials on high alert, directing them to prioritize the distribution of blankets and the maintenance of night shelters to ensure no resident is forced to sleep outdoors during the freeze.

Snowfall in western Himalayas 

In the western Himalayan region, including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, light to moderate rain and snowfall is expected at higher altitudes. These conditions may lead to slippery roads and temporary closures, especially in hill districts and mountain passes.

Delhi-NCR faces fog, cold and poor air quality

Persistent winter conditions continue to disrupt the Delhi-NCR region as a heavy blanket of fog and a severe cold wave tighten their grip. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained yellow to orange alerts, cautioning that predawn visibility will remain critically low for several more days. 

These conditions have already crippled transit networks, with numerous flights and trains facing delays or cancellations. Simultaneously, stagnant air and dense mist have trapped pollutants, causing the city’s air quality to fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories, posing significant health risks to residents.

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