Overview
- IMD warns cold wave to severe cold wave conditions will persist for the next few days across Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with dense to very dense morning fog.
- Delhi recorded its coldest January morning in three years at 3.0–3.2°C, while Gurugram hit 0.6°C on Monday—matching a 1977 low—with frost reported across NCR and readings colder than some hill stations.
- Authorities issued orange alerts for Delhi-NCR and regional red alerts in Punjab and Haryana, cautioning of poor visibility and disrupted road, rail and air movement.
- Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the very poor range, with citywide AQI readings around 330 and several stations topping 350, CPCB and EWS data showed.
- A feeble western disturbance from January 15 is forecast to bring snowfall to the western Himalayas and raise minimums on the plains by about 2–4°C, though fog may persist in some areas.