The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an intense cold alert across North India for Thursday, warning of dense fog and below-normal daytime temperatures in several regions, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh.
Explaining the conditions, IMD scientist Naresh Kumar said a thick, cloud-like fog layer is blocking sunlight, preventing surface heating and leading to unusually cold days.
“Because sunlight is not reaching the ground effectively, daytime temperatures are dipping below normal. We have issued cold day warnings for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and even Bihar for the next two to three days,” he said, as quoted by PTI. He added that cold wave warnings are also in place in parts of Punjab and Haryana, where morning temperatures have fallen to around 4°C or lower.
Schools Closed Due To Cold Wave
The prolonged cold spell has prompted school closures across several northern states. In Jammu and Kashmir, schools will now reopen only on March 1, 2026. In Punjab and Delhi, schools are set to resume on January 14 and January 15, respectively. Haryana will reopen schools from January 16, while in Gautam Buddha Nagar, classes are scheduled to resume on January 11.