India weather update January 6: Mercury dips across states, schools shut as cold wave bites

India is expected to remain under the influence of intense winter conditions on Tuesday, January 6, as a widespread cold wave accompanied by dense fog, rain, and snowfall impacted large parts of north, central, and eastern India.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures across several regions remain below normal, while visibility has dropped sharply in many northern states due to persistent fog. The adverse weather has slowed road traffic, affected rail movement, and led to delays in air operations.

Cold Wave Tightens Grip Over Western and Central India

Cold wave conditions prevailed during early morning and night hours across parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. In western India, Gujarat experienced one of its coldest spells of the season, with inland and border areas recording a sharp fall in minimum temperatures. Central India also witnessed a noticeable chill, with some hill stations reporting near-freezing night temperatures.

Dense to very dense fog blanketed large stretches of the Indo-Gangetic plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Visibility dropped significantly on highways and rail tracks, forcing commuters to slow down and causing delays during peak morning hours. Fog-related disruptions were reported across rail and air services in several northern cities.

Schools Shut in Lucknow as Cold Persists

Amid unrelenting cold wave and dense fog conditions, the Lucknow district administration extended school holidays for students from pre-primary to Class 8 till January 8. As per the official order, all government, aided and recognised schools of all boards — including council, primary and upper primary schools, Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls’ Schools, and government or non-government aided institutions — will remain closed during this period.

However, classes for Classes 9 to 12 will continue with revised timings from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm to reduce students’ exposure to extreme cold. The decision follows earlier directions issued by Yogi Adityanath, who had ordered the closure of all ICSE, CBSE, state board and other affiliated schools across Uttar Pradesh till January 5 due to severe cold wave conditions.

Also read: Sonmarg turns winter wonderland as fresh snowfall draws tourists

 Fog Slashes Visibility Across Multiple States

The IMD has warned that dense fog conditions are likely to persist for the next four to five days. Over the past 24 hours, eastern Uttar Pradesh witnessed dense to very dense fog, with visibility dropping to below 50 metres in several areas. In isolated pockets, visibility fell to zero metres, severely affecting road and rail movement.

Similar conditions were reported from parts of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Uttarakhand, with cities such as Gorakhpur, Gwalior and Jabalpur experiencing extremely poor visibility. Authorities have advised people to avoid early-morning travel and exercise caution.

AAI Issues Travel Advisory; AQI Remains Poor in Delhi

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued an advisory cautioning passengers about possible flight delays at select northern airports due to low visibility. Travellers have been advised to check flight status and allow extra buffer time before reaching airports.

Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained a concern. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed Delhi’s Air Quality Index continuing in the ‘poor’ category for the second consecutive day, with several monitoring stations recording ‘very poor’ levels amid calm winds and cold conditions.

Heavy Rain Alert for South India

While northern India battles cold and fog, the IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall over Tamil Nadu on January 8 and 9, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Rainfall intensity is expected to increase, with heavy rain very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Mahe on January 9 and 10, 2026.

Outlook

Dense to very dense fog is likely to persist over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh till January 10, while foggy conditions are expected to continue across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and several northeastern states over the coming days. The IMD has urged citizens to remain vigilant, follow advisories and take precautions as harsh winter conditions are expected to linger.