An intense cold wave has taken hold across large parts of north India, with the mercury plummeting to single digits at night. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the development to persistent layers of dense fog and low clouds, which, by blocking sunlight, prevent the ground from warming up during the day.
What is the reason behind the daytime chill?
IMD scientist Narendra Kumar explained in a PTI video that a “clear cloud dense fog layer” has formed over northern states. “Because of this thick layer, sunlight is not reaching the Earth directly. As a result, daytime temperatures are lower than normal, leading us to issue cold warnings,” he stated. In simple terms, the sun’s rays are being blocked by the fog and low clouds, causing temperatures to remain low even in the daytime.
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Where are the cold day and cold wave warnings in effect?
Warnings have been issued for Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Bihar, where daytime temperatures have dropped to around 4 degrees or even lower. Cold wave warnings have also been issued for these states. The IMD further notes that East Madhya Pradesh, North Chhattisgarh, and parts of Jharkhand are also expected to experience similar conditions over the next few days.
VIDEO | Delhi: IMD scientist Naresh Kumar on weather forecast says, “There is a complete layer, which we can call a clear clouds dense fog layer, due to which the sunlight is not reaching the Earth directly. As a result, the daytime temperatures are lower than normal, which is… pic.twitter.com/OztIrQ6sWR
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 7, 2026
IMD weather forecast for cold days, cold wave conditions and dense fog in the affected areas
1. Cold day to intense cold day conditions are expected in east Rajasthan (7-8th January), Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim. Similar weather conditions will prevail in Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Jharkhand (7-8th). West Bengal and West Uttar Pradesh to witness it on 7th, Bihar from 7th to the 10th, West Rajasthan from 7th to 9 th and east Rajasthan from 9th to 10th.
2. Cold wave conditions are predicted in pockets of Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, East Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh from 8th to 9th). Rajasthan to get it from 9th to 12th. Punjab, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Haryana from 8th to 10th.
3. Dense to very dense fog is predicted in Haryana, Punjab, Chhattisgarh from 8th to 10th, East Rajasthan (8th -14th,West Rajasthan (8th to 12th, and Uttar Pradesh from 8th to 14th.
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Why is the fog so persistent?
This thick fog acts as a barrier, trapping cold air near the ground, and blocking sunlight. Normally, sunlight during the day helps raise temperatures, but with fog blocking out the sun, the region remains much colder than normal. |
