New Delhi, January 17, 2026
North India continues to reel under an intense cold wave as temperatures in several regions dropped close to the freezing point. Dense fog blanketed large parts of the northern plains on Friday and Saturday, drastically reducing visibility and severely impacting daily life. Meanwhile, fresh snowfall over the western Himalayan peaks is expected to intensify winter conditions across Delhi-NCR and adjoining states in the coming days.
Zero Visibility Fog in Multiple Cities
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense to very dense fog disrupted life across northern states. Visibility dropped to zero meters in Amritsar, Adampur, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Hindon and Saharanpur during early Friday hours.
Visibility in Varanasi and Jammu fell to around 200 meters, while Kanpur and Gorakhpur reported visibility near 400 meters.
Dense fog conditions were also recorded in several parts of South India, including Tiruchirappalli, during the morning hours. The cold wave, compounded by fog, caused widespread disruptions to traffic, public transport and normal routines.
Delhi Gets Temporary Relief from Cold Wave
After four days of severe cold wave conditions, Delhi saw a brief respite on Friday. A mix of sunlight, partial cloud cover and reduced wind speed stabilized the temperature decline.
The capital recorded a minimum temperature of 4.3°C and a significant rise in daytime heat, with the maximum temperature reaching 22.9°C. Early morning chill, though present, was noticeably less severe than earlier in the week.
Schools Shut in Gautam Buddh Nagar Due to Cold
Considering the biting cold, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration ordered all schools up to Class 8—across all boards—to remain closed until Saturday.
The directive covers schools in both Noida and Greater Noida, though teachers have been instructed to attend school as usual.
IMD Forecast: Cold Wave Likely in Several States
The IMD predicts cold wave conditions over the next 48 hours in isolated parts of:
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Punjab
Haryana
Chandigarh
Madhya Pradesh
Jharkhand
Dense fog is expected to persist across Northwest India and parts of Bihar for the next five days.
President Murmu’s Jalandhar Visit Cancelled
Due to harsh winter conditions and poor weather, President Droupadi Murmu canceled her scheduled visit to Jalandhar, where she was to attend the convocation ceremony at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology as chief guest.
Fresh Snowfall in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
Under the influence of a western disturbance, fresh snowfall was reported in several Himalayan regions, including Sonamarg, Gurez, Zojila, Sadhna Top and Razdan Pass.
Light snowfall raised daytime temperatures but caused ice on Srinagar’s Dal Lake to melt. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 9.0°C and a minimum of 1.5°C on Friday.
Snowfall was also reported in Shinkula Pass, Baralacha La and Kunzum Pass in Himachal Pradesh. However, Shimla experienced bright sunshine, and its minimum temperature of 10.5°C on Thursday night marked the warmest January night in 32 years.
Cold wave conditions persisted in Berthin, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi and Una, while Tabo recorded extreme cold with temperatures dipping to –5.2°C.
