Delhi to Witness Near 0°C Tonight? Dense Fog Likely Across City, IMD Issues Cold Wave Warning for Lohri- Check Weather Forecast For The Week

North India is bracing for its coldest spell of the season, with temperatures threatening to slip close to the freezing mark as the India Meteorological Department issues a cold wave warning across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

While the IMD has forecast Delhi’s minimum temperature to fall to 3–4.2 degrees Celsius on Monday, alarm bells are ringing after Gurugram recorded a bone-chilling 0.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the lowest this season. The sharp plunge has raised fears that near-zero conditions cannot be ruled out for Delhi and the NCR on Tuesday.

In its bulletin issued on Monday, January 12, the weather department has put Delhi on 'orange alert' for Tuesday(January 13), as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted dense fog to engulf the city in the morning hours tomorrow. A warning of cold wave conditions at many places across the city has been also issued.

The minimum temperature is likely to drop to 3 degrees Celsius, with fog causing reduced visibility early morning. However, the maximum temperature is likely to be around 19 degrees Celsius, with mainly clear sky during the day.

Moreover, Delhi is on a shivering 'yellow alert' for Wednesday. However, for the rest of the week, no such alerts have been issued by the IMD.

The cold wave spell is forecast to persist in areas of Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and west Uttar Pradesh as well.

In a striking weather anomaly, temperatures in the plains have dipped below those recorded in hill towns. While cities like Delhi and Chandigarh are experiencing biting cold, Shimla is expected to record comparatively milder conditions.

On Monday, Shimla witnessed a maximum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 9 degrees Celsius. In contrast, Delhi’s minimum was expected plunge to as low as 3 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures hovering between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius.

No fresh weather warnings have been issued for hill districts such as Shimla and Kullu for the rest of the week. Delhi, however, is expected to remain under cold wave conditions for the next two days, followed by partly cloudy skies thereafter.

The IMD has also sounded a dense fog warning for several regions. Parts of Uttar Pradesh may experience dense fog on Monday, while similar conditions are very likely in Bihar, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.

Dense fog conditions across these regions are expected to persist till Thursday, January 15, potentially disrupting visibility during early morning hours.

While the cold is likely to remain tolerable for most people, it could pose mild health concerns for vulnerable groups. Shivering, an early sign that the body is losing heat, may be experienced, and people are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. To minimise health risks, prolonged exposure to cold should be avoided. Wearing several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight and warm woollen clothing is recommended instead of a single heavy layer. It is also important to adequately cover the head, neck, hands and face, as most body heat is lost through these parts.

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