Story by Bahari Duniya | Written by Ranjan Sharma
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced an Orange Alert for Saturday, December 27, warning of an intense cold wave accompanied by dense fog across large parts of North, East, and Central India. The harsh weather conditions are expected to significantly reduce visibility and impact daily life. As a precautionary measure, schools in multiple districts of Delhi have been ordered to remain closed, while authorities have urged residents to stay alert and take necessary safety measures amid the worsening winter conditions.
“Severe Cold Day” conditions have intensified further with persistent cloud cover and biting icy winds, particularly across the Eastern Plains, deepening the winter chill. The lack of sunshine and plunging temperatures have made outdoor conditions increasingly harsh, prompting residents to brace for an exceptionally cold end to 2025, as weather officials warn that the frigid spell is likely to continue in the coming days.
Weather Warnings in Place: Red and Orange Alert Zones Identified
The IMD has also used color-coded alerts to clearly signal the severity of the approaching weather system.
Red Alert (Extreme Risk): Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are experiencing intense cold wave conditions as dense cloud cover blocks sunlight, causing daytime temperatures to remain significantly below seasonal averages and increasing health risks, especially for vulnerable populations across affected regions.
Orange Alert (Be Prepared): Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jharkhand may face isolated cold waves and dense fog, reducing visibility, affecting travel, and prompting residents to take precautions against prolonged exposure to harsh winter conditions.
Yellow Alert: Odisha, West Bengal, and parts of Northeast India are likely to experience dense fog, leading to poor visibility during early morning and late night hours, which may disrupt road, rail, and air travel in several areas.
Low Visibility Alert: Dense Fog to Cover Vast Plains
Fog continues to pose the greatest risk for New Year commuters, with the IMD forecasting dense to very dense fog during late-night and early-morning hours across several regions.
The Hubs: Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
The Hills & East: Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Effects: Experts recommend checking air and train connections 2-3 hours in advance, as “cat-III” low-visibility conditions are anticipated in major airports.
Delhi Weather Forecast: Cold Conditions with Reduced Morning Visibility
The national capital is under a Yellow Alert condition on Saturday.
The Dip: Delhi is likely to witness a drop of 1–2°C in minimum temperatures over the next 48 hours, intensifying the winter chill across the capital.
Sky Conditions: Morning hours may see moderate to dense fog, but skies are expected to turn mostly clear from December 28 to 30, before cloud cover increases ahead of New Year’s Eve.
Beyond the North: While the plains remain frozen, the southern regions face storms and the hills experience snowfall, as different parts of the country contend with varied winter weather conditions.
South India: High-speed squally winds reaching 65 kmph are expected over the Gulf of Mannar and Comorin region, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands may witness isolated thunderstorms in the coming days.
Related Video: Zero visibility across north India as IMD sounds red alert for Delhi
Western Disturbance: A new weather system is set to affect the Western Himalayas, bringing snowfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, potentially triggering a second wave of cold air into Delhi/NCR by January 1.