All Looking For Respite From Tough Weather

ALOK K. SHRIVASTAVA

In North and East India, people have been waking up to bone-chilling cold for over a fortnight. Delhi–NCR and much of North India are facing one of the coldest winters in decades, with minimum temperatures dropping to a shocking 0.6 degrees Celsius — the lowest in 60 years. Gurugram recorded minimum temperatures below one degree on January 10 and 11, while Delhi saw a three-year low of 3.2 degrees on January 12. NOIDA recorded 2 degrees on January 15. As per the IMD, due to a minimum temperature of 0.6 degrees on January 11, Gurugram experienced its coldest day in 47 years.

 Adjoining areas such as Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, and Bareilly also recorded minimum temperatures of 2.1, 2.9, and 3 degrees respectively. Over the last couple of days, temperatures have hovered between 6 and 8 degrees in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Bulandshahr, Sitapur, Faizabad, and Gorakhpur as well.

Fog: First Obstacle of the Day

There is no respite from very poor to severe Air Quality Index (AQI) levels either. Earlier, Delhi recorded its highest PM2.5 pollution levels in December 2025, surpassing those of December 2018. Dense fog reducing visibility, freezing winds, and extremely low temperatures have made life difficult for the common man.

Moderate to dense fog during morning hours is not unusual in extreme winters. However, this calls for heightened precautions at the individual level.

Weather reporting and analysis in national and social media largely focus on North India, while East and North-East India are rarely highlighted. The situation is equally alarming in many regions, where people continue to brave harsh winters without seeking attention.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

Over the years, AQI levels have steadily worsened, frequently crossing 300 and even touching 450. December 14 witnessed the season’s worst air quality in the NCR, with AQI surging to 461.

According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), this was worse than the peak during the stubble-burning phase. Alarmingly, air quality has remained in the Very Poor category for almost a month.

Stubble Burning

While stubble-burning incidents were lower this year, winter smog has intensified even after farm fires subsided, according to the CSE — underscoring the regional nature of the crisis.

No Winter Rain

The absence of winter rain has added to the woes of early-morning workers such as guards, milk suppliers, delivery personnel, newspaper hawkers, and domestic help. Rain usually clears dust and improves visibility. Each time the IMD forecasts rain and it does not materialise, people react with disbelief and cynicism.

IMD Forecasts

Weather conditions may deteriorate further over the next 10–15 days in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. Along with cold waves and light rain, snowfall is likely in J&K, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Delhi once again remained in the grip of severe cold, recording minimum temperatures lower than both Shimla and Manali.

Intensity of Cold

December 31 was the coldest day of the season, with a maximum temperature of 14.2 degrees — 6.2 degrees below normal — and a minimum of 6.4 degrees, 0.4 degrees below normal. The last time December recorded a lower maximum temperature was on December 31, 2019, when the NCR saw a startling low of 9.4 degrees.

January 6 was officially declared a Cold Day, with no relief even on January 7. As in previous years, people in cities like Amritsar and Bathinda shivered, while temperatures in many parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand dipped below zero.

January 9 again turned extremely cold in the first half of the day, with maximum and minimum temperatures of 15 and 8 degrees respectively. Windy conditions accompanied by a brief drizzle worsened conditions. Fortunately, schoolchildren were spared, as schools across most of North India were closed till January 15 — a deadline that merits extension.

Advisories Prove Ineffective

Despite advisories issued by district and state authorities to limit movement and avoid travel, people often ignore warnings. This has resulted in fatal accidents due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. In the third week of December, a nine-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway claimed 19 lives and injured over 80 people.

Precaution Against Extreme Health Hazards

Unless people mend their ways, no government can ensure foolproof measures against such harsh natural conditions. Unnecessary travel during extreme weather exposes individuals to invisible pollutants that are more toxic and persistent, penetrating deep into the lungs and aggravating public health risks.

To improve access to real-time weather data amid rapid climate change, 50 new Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) will soon be installed in the national capital, with plans to expand the network to Mumbai, Chennai, and Pune.