Overview
- Uttar Pradesh designated January 15 a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, closing banks, government offices and educational institutions.
- The IMD issued a red alert for districts including Bathinda, Firozpur, Moga and Muktsar, with orange alerts elsewhere in Punjab due to severe cold and dense fog.
- Visibility dropped to zero at times in Bareilly, Ghaziabad and Saharanpur, with dense to very dense fog reported at isolated locations in West Uttar Pradesh.
- Delhi schools remain on winter break through January 15 and Chandigarh extended vacations to January 17, while Punjab parents sought further extensions after earlier closures.
- Forecasters expect foggy mornings on the festival day, a gradual temperature rise after two nights, and a fresh western disturbance from January 15 likely to bring significant high-elevation snowfall later this month.