Cold Day Alert India: Winter continues to wreak havoc in North India. There is an alert of cold day in UP, Bihar-Jharkhand and dense fog in 18 states. 40-day Chillai Kalan has started in Jammu and Kashmir, while 129 flights have been canceled in Delhi.
Cold Day Alert India: North India is currently in the grip of cold and fog. The Meteorological Department has issued a cold day alert in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand on Sunday. At the same time, a warning has been given about dense fog in 18 states of the country. Due to this weather, visibility in the morning is only 50 meters in many areas, due to which road and rail travel is being affected. According to the Meteorological Department, a 40-day period of severe cold is starting in Jammu and Kashmir from December 21, 2025, which is called Chillai Kalan. During this time, not only does the temperature fall continuously, but life is affected due to snowfall and cold.
How serious is the impact of cold days and fog in North India?
Due to cold days in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, people feel cold more in the morning. Due to cold winds and minimum temperature the body starts shivering. At the same time, fog is continuously spreading in 18 states. Due to low visibility, there are problems in road and air travel in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura.
Why were flights canceled in Delhi and NCR?
Due to fog and low visibility, 129 flights had to be canceled in Delhi. The Meteorological Department has advised travelers to exercise caution. From this it is clear that the impact of weather is not limited only to the hilly areas, but the risk for travelers has increased in the plains and cities also.
What is Chillai Kalan and why is it special?
Chillai Kalan is a Persian word which means ‘extremely cold’. This period lasts from 21st December to 31st January every year in Kashmir. During this:
- The temperature decreases continuously.
- Srinagar’s Dal Lake freezes.
- Water freezes in the taps.
- There is heavy snowfall and cold winds.
Chillai Kalan is followed by Chillai Khurd (mild cold) from February 1 to February 10 and then Chillai Bachha (baby cold) from February 21 to the first week of March.
What will be the weather for the next 3 days?
- 22 December: Very dense fog in Uttar Pradesh, very low morning visibility in Delhi-NCR. Possibility of light snowfall and rain in higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
- 23 December: Dense fog in Punjab and Haryana. Very dense fog in many districts of Uttar Pradesh. Effect of cold wave in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Fog conditions in some districts of Jharkhand.
- 24 December: Dense fog in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Cold wave conditions in Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Visibility is very low in the morning and night in the plains of North India.
Temperature of major cities of the country
- Jaipur: 13°/27°
- Dehradun: 7°/25°
- Lucknow: 9°/19°
- Delhi: 9°/22°
- Bhopal: 11°/24°
- Mumbai: 24°/29°
- Patna: 12°/21°
- Ahmedabad: 16°/29°
- Raipur: 11°/26°
- Kolkata: 16°/25°
- Ranchi: 9°/21°
- Chennai: 20°/29°
- Chandigarh: 9°/20°
- Bengaluru: 14°/26°
- Shimla: 9°/20°
- Hyderabad: 12°/29°
Precautions and Tips
- Wear warm clothes when going out in the morning and at night.
- Use slow speed while driving in dense fog.
- Avoid traveling in snowfall areas.
- Stay indoors to prevent flu, cough and cold.