Rain And Fog On The Way: IMD Warns Of Weather Whiplash Across North India

New Delhi: A fresh western disturbance is expected to influence the weather over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the coming days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. The system could bring light rain or drizzle at isolated places from December 31 to January 1, with partly cloudy skies before that. This marks a break in the current dry spell across the region. 

The IMD has issued a red alert for Delhi due to extremely dense fog, causing visibility to plummet across the capital and leading to significant disruptions in travel.

Why is this happening?

Western disturbances are low-pressure systems that move in from the west and often cause clouding, rain, snow and a drop in temperatures in north India during winter. This one is expected to start affecting the western Himalayas before spreading into the adjoining plains, including the capital. 

How cold is it now?

Widespread cold conditions are gripping large parts of north India. Dense to very dense fog is blanketing Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, restricting visibility, disrupting travel and slowing vehicles on highways.

The IMD has forecast cold wave and cold day conditions in parts of the region today, with nights remaining particularly chilly. Several states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, are expected to see cold day conditions, where daytime temperatures stay unusually low for the season. 

Taking to X, IMD wrote, "Dense to very dense fog is expected tonight and into the morning of 30th December across several regions including Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of the Northeast, East, and North India. Visibility may be severely reduced, making travel risky. Please drive slowly, use fog lights, and avoid unnecessary journeys."

0000 UTC morning Satellite Night Microphysics imagery of today, 30th Dec 2025 shows Scattered to Broken Fog/low clouds layer over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,south Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, south Nepal, Bihar,extreme north MP, north Jharkhand, east Odisha, West Bengal, south… pic.twitter.com/SaMWBzbzW7

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 30, 2025

"30th Dec 2025 shows Scattered to Broken Fog/low clouds layer over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, south Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,  south Nepal, Bihar, extreme north MP, north Jharkhand, east Odisha, West Bengal, south Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Bangladesh," IMD said.

What does this mean for daily life?

• Dense fog in the mornings is already affecting flights and trains in and out of Delhi and neighbouring states. 
• Road travel has slowed in many areas as visibility dips sharply. 
• Schools in some regions, including Uttar Pradesh, have been closed until January 1 to protect children from the severe cold. 

Will the rain be heavy?

No heavy rainfall is expected so far. Forecasts indicate scattered, light showers or drizzle rather than widespread heavy rain. The effect of the western disturbance in the plains should be modest, though hill stations and higher reaches of the Himalayas could see more significant rain or snow.