Cold wave rages: Mercury below 0°C in many states

Published on: 10 Jan 2026 at 09:04 AM

Published by: Gill Bikram

Cold wave grips northern India with temperatures dipping below 0°C in several regions, driven by icy Himalayan winds, and no major relief expected over the next 7 days. The IMD forecasts persistent dense fog, cold waves through mid-January, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi.

7-Day Forecast Alerts

IMD predicts no significant change in minimum temperatures across northwest and east India for the next week, with cold wave conditions likely until January 14 in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Dense to very dense fog will prevail in mornings over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh & Delhi till January 10, extending to isolated pockets till January 14; similar fog expected in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Central India may see a gradual 2-3°C rise after 4 days.

Regional Conditions

Region	Current/Recent Lows	Alerts & Notes
Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh	4-6°C (Bathinda, Amritsar, Hisar); Panipat/Bhiwani/Gurugram dipped to 5°C post-rain	Orange alert in parts like Amritsar; schools closed in Chandigarh till Jan 13; cold wave Jan 10-11
Rajasthan	Jaisalmer 4.6°C; Jaipur monthly lows	Dense fog next 2 days; cold wave Jan 11-14 in east/west
Kashmir & Ladakh	Srinagar -6°C (Dal Lake parts frozen); Dras -24.6°C (Chillai Kalan ongoing)	Intense cold/snow till Jan 31; highs 5-8°C
Chhattisgarh	N/A (3 deaths from cold in 28 days)	Alerts for 18 districts

Bay of Bengal Update

A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is moving northwest, potentially crossing northern Sri Lanka coast by Saturday afternoon, bringing rain risks to southern/eastern areas amid the north’s chill.

Health advisories urge elderly and children to avoid early mornings/evenings outdoors.