Very dense fog alert! IMD predicts thick haze over parts of North India till December 21 | Check forecast

THe bharat Meteorological section (IMD) has issued warnings for heavy to real heavy fog across several parts of North India over the next few days. Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are expected to witness thick fog during the early morning hours from December 19 to 21, according IMD's latest bulletin.Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Bihar are also likely to experience similar conditions on December 19 and 20, with fog lingering in isolated pockets for a few more days.IMD weather forecastFog over Northeast India and other statesDense fog is expected over parts of Northeast India between December 19 and 22. Himachal Pradesh will experience fog on December 19 and 20, while Odisha and Jharkhand may see fog between December 18 and 20, as per IMD.Cold wave and severe cold conditionsThe IMD has forecast “cold day” conditions at some places and “severe cold day” conditions at isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next two days. Isolated areas in West Madhya Pradesh are also expected to experience cold wave conditions on December 18.Recent weather developmentsIn the past 24 hours, very heavy rainfall was recorded at isolated places in Tamil Nadu. Dense fog with visibility below 50 metres was reported in parts of Uttar Pradesh and isolated pockets of Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Haryana. Other states, including Meghalaya, Odisha, and Bihar experienced dense fog with visibility between 50 and 199 metres.Visibility reports from key locationsIn West Uttar Pradesh, Agra and Bareilly saw near-zero visibility, while Aligarh recorded 40 metres. East Uttar Pradesh locations such as Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur reported zero visibility at some points, with other areas recording 10-150 metres. Uttarakhand cities like Haridwar, Pantnagar, and Khatima recorded 25-75 metres. Punjab’s Patiala reported 30 metres, and Chandigarh saw less than 50 metres. Visibility in parts of Bihar, Odisha, and Meghalaya ranged between 50 and 100 metres.Will temperatures drop?Minimum temperatures are expected to remain steady over Northwest India for the next 24 hours, with a gradual rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius over the following three days.Maharashtra will see similar patterns, while Gujarat may experience a temporary rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius before temperatures fall again. Maximum temperatures in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand are not expected to change significantly in the next 2-3 days but may gradually drop by 1-3 degrees Celsius afterward. Bihar is likely to see no significant change in maximum temperatures over the next week.Warnings for commuters and fishermenDense fog may disrupt early morning travel across North India. Drivers are advised to exercise caution, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. Fishermen are warned not to venture into the Bay of Bengal, particularly over the Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area, from December 18 to 20.