Dense to very dense fog and cold day conditions are very likely to continue over northwest India, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday as the minimum temperature dropped below 6°C in many parts of the region. The Met department also warned about the impact of the dense fog on transport, aviation, electricity supply and health in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Fog warning
Citing the light winds and high moisture near surface over Indo-Gangetic plains, the IMD said dense to very dense fog was very likely to continue over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi for next four to five days and in isolated pockets of Rajasthan during the next 48 hours.
According to the Met department, dense fog in isolated pockets of Bihar is very likely over the next five days; in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh over the next three days; in West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura over the next two days; and in Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the next 24 hours.
Cold wave warning
Minimum temperatures over northwest India are expected to remain almost unchanged during the next three days and rise by 2-3°C thereafter. As a result, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely from January 4 to January 6 over parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi. Cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh during the next three days.
Impact on transport, aviation, power sector and health
The IMD said in a release that the dense fog during the night and morning hours may affect some airports, highways and railway routes and cause difficult driving conditions. It also warned that there are chances of tripping of power lines in areas with very dense fog.
Highlighting the impact of dense fog on human health, the IMD said the particulate matter and other pollutants present in it can clog the lungs, decreasing their functional capacity. This could increase episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
Long time exposure to dense fog may cause respiratory problem for people having asthma bronchitis and other lung related health problems, the weather forecasting agency warned. Exposure to dense fog may cause eye irritation and lead to various infections.
