Lucknow, Dec 22: A severe cold wave accompanied by dense to very dense fog continued to disrupt normal life across Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue Cold Day alerts for 10 districts, including Kanpur, Ayodhya and Moradabad.
A thick blanket of fog enveloped major cities such as Lucknow, Agra and Prayagraj, reducing visibility to near zero at several locations and severely impacting road, rail and air traffic. Officials said multiple train services were delayed, particularly across the Gorakhpur division, while flights were also affected due to poor visibility.
Temperatures dipped sharply across the state. Kanpur recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 6.4 degrees Celsius, while Bareilly reported the coldest day, with a maximum temperature of just 13.2 degrees Celsius, significantly below normal.
In the state capital Lucknow, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 18 degrees Celsius, with the minimum dipping to 8 degrees Celsius. Air quality in the city has been flagged as “very unhealthy.”
Agra witnessed zero visibility, posing hazards for commuters, while Ayodhya recorded a low of 7.5 degrees Celsius and remained under severe cold day conditions. An orange alert has been issued for Prayagraj due to very dense fog, with visibility also dropping to zero.
The IMD said there may be temporary relief in the next 24 hours due to an approaching western disturbance, but warned that temperatures are likely to dip again thereafter.
Delhi-NCR continued to reel under a combination of cold weather, dense fog and hazardous air quality. The IMD has issued a Yellow Alert for dense fog and strong winds across the region. Minimum temperatures have fallen to 7–8 degrees Celsius and are expected to decline further towards the end of the month.
Air quality remained a major concern, with Ghaziabad recording AQI levels between 444 and 484 and Greater Noida at 432, both in the ‘Severe’ category. Delhi’s overall air quality stayed in the ‘Very Poor’ range.
Cold winds gusting up to 25 kmph are expected to intensify the wind chill effect. Authorities have advised residents to limit early-morning outdoor exposure, wear adequate warm clothing and avoid unnecessary travel during dense fog conditions
