Wednesday, 31 December 2025
Wednesday, 31 December 2025
Delhi woke up shrouded in fog on Wednesday morning, with little visibility and 'very poor' air.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for dense fog between 8.30 am and 10 am.
As per the IMD, weather conditions during January 1, 2 and 3, 2026 are likely to feature persistent low visibility in the early hours, cool nights and largely stable daytime temperatures.
On Wednesday, the IMD said the minimum temperature at Safdarjung and Ayanagar was recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees Celsius below normal. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 23 degrees Celsius. Dense fog is likely to persist through the day.
Palam station logged a minimum of 7.7 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 6.8 degrees Celsius, and the Ridge 7.8 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD.
On New Year's Day, the weather office has forecast a generally cloudy sky with light rain over the national capital.
Fresh snowfall in parts of Kashmir
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.0 degrees Celsius, which is 3.6 degrees above the normal for this time of year.
Gulmarg remained the coldest location in the region with the mercury settling at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius. Despite the sub-zero reading, this remained 4.3 degrees above the usual temperature.
In south Kashmir, Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, saw the mercury dip to 1.4 degrees Celsius. Both locations remained approximately four degrees above their respective seasonal averages.
The region is currently going through 'Chilla-e-Kalan', a 40-day period of extreme cold. During this phase, night temperatures typically drop between three and eight degrees below the freezing point. However, current readings show a departure from normal patterns.
'Yellow' alert in Jharkhand
A yellow alert for dense fog has been issued for Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribag, Koderma, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts, according to an IMD bulletin.
Gumla was the coldest place in the state at 3.9 degrees Celsius. Dense fog conditions are likely to prevail in the aforementioned districts, including Giridih and Deoghar on January 2 until 8:30 am, it said.
The minimum temperature in Ranchi was 7 degrees Celsius.
Classes for students from kindergarten to class 12 in all government and private schools in Ranchi district have been suspended from December 27 to 31 due to the weather.
Ranchi district education officer Vinay Kumar said even though most schools have declared winter vacations, some are still conducting classes.
Punjab, Haryana shiver as minimum temperatures hovered
In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a low of 6.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal. Ludhiana and Patiala logged minimum temperatures of 6.8 and 7.2 degrees Celsius, respectively, according to a report of the meteorological department.
Bathinda's minimum was 7.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, Pathankot 8.5, Faridkot 7 and Gurdaspur 5.2 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, recorded a minimum temperature of 8.4 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal.
In Haryana, Ambala recorded a low of 9.6 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal, while Hisar logged a minimum of 7.1 degrees Celsius, one degree above average.
Karnal recorded a low of 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Narnaul and Rohtak experienced colder conditions with minimum temperatures of 4.5 and 4.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Bhiwani and Sirsa registered their minimum temperatures of 5 and 8.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Kolkata records season's lowest temperature
West Bengal on Wednesday reported minimum temperatures dipping to below 10 degrees Celsius, as the IMD said that the chill is likely to continue in the sub-Himalayan districts for the next one week.
Kolkata recorded the season's lowest minimum temperature on the last day of 2025 at 11 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches lower than normal, the weather office said.
Minimum temperatures in sub-Himalayan districts of the state are likely to dip further by two to three notches during the weekend, the Met office said.
It forecast light rain or snow in the upper reaches of Darjeeling district during the next three days.
The citizens of south Bengal are likely to get a little respite from the cold conditions with minimum temperatures set to go up by two to three degrees Celsius gradually over three days from Friday, it said.
Light to moderate fog is likely over all the districts of West Bengal in the morning hours during the next four days, the IMD said in its forecast.
Mercury dips below 10 degree Celsius in Odisha
Odisha continued to reel under cold wave conditions as minimum temperatures dipped below 10 degrees Celsius in at least 13 places across the state.
The IMD has issued a five-day warning, stating that minimum temperatures are expected to remain largely unchanged across the state till the New Year.
The IMD, however, said there could be a slight rise of 2–3 degree Celsius in minimum temperatures from January 1 onwards, depending on changes in wind patterns and atmospheric circulation.
In Rajasthan mercury dips below 10 degree Celsius
According to the Met office, cold wave conditions are likely to persist in the state.
Dausa saw a minimum of 4.5 degrees Celsius, while Alwar shivered at 4.8 degrees Celsius.
Other places where temperatures hovered below 10 degrees Celsius include Sikar at 5 degrees Celsius, and both Mount Abu and Pali at 5.1 degrees Celsius. Karauli recorded a minimum of 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Jhunjhunu registered 7.1 degrees Celsius, according to Met department.
Chittorgarh saw a night temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius, while Bhilwara and Jaipur experienced minimums of 9 degrees Celsius and 9.3 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The desert city of Jaisalmer recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Kota at 11.1 degrees Celsius. Barmer remained relatively warmer at 12.6 degrees Celsius.
