Dense fog, cold day conditions to persist in parts of UP

Cold conditions persist in Uttar Pradesh with dense fog and low temperatures; relief expected in 2-3 days but severe cold may return post-December 24.

Cold day conditions were on Saturday reported in many districts, particularly in western, central and eastern Uttar Pradesh, as cold northerly winds, surface inversion and the influence of an anti-cyclone continued to prevail over the region, said India meteorological department (IMD).

Dense to very dense fog is likely to persist in several parts of Uttar Pradesh during the next 24 hours. (For Representation)

In view of the prevailing weather conditions, dense to very dense fog is likely to persist in several parts of the state during the next 24 hours and cold day conditions are also expected to continue. Due to the effect of persistent fog in many parts resulted in a lack of sunshine.

Severe cold day conditions were observed in Lucknow, Barabanki, Varanasi, Bahraich, Sultanpur, Ghazipur, Basti, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, and Najibabad, while cold day conditions prevailed in Hardoi, Ballia, Churk, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Ghazipur, Moradabad, Etawah and Agra.

Five districts that recorded the lowest minimum temperature are: Kanpur City 6.4 degrees, Etawah 6.8 degrees, Bulandshahr 7, Ayodhya 7.5 and Barabanki 8 degrees Celsius. Five districts with lowest day temperature on Saturday included Bareilly at 13.2 degrees Celsius (8.3 degrees below normal), Shahjahanpur 13.9, Ayodhya 14, Sultanpur and Barabanki 14.5 degree Celsius each.

In Lucknow, maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 16 and 9.8 degrees Celsius respectively. The forecast for Sunday is dense fog is very likely during late night/ early morning hours with cold days. The maximum and minimum temperature will be around 17 and 11 degrees Celsius respectively.

However, the dense fog that has gripped major parts of Uttar Pradesh for the past four days is expected to decrease after the next 24 hours, and the temperature is likely to rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. This will provide relief from cold day conditions for the next 2 to 3 days after December 21.

It will just be a temporary phase because after the passage of western disturbance, the density of the fog is again expected to increase from December 24, and the temperature is likely to drop by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, the Lucknow met department said.

As per IMD criteria, when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or less in plains and the deviation of the maximum temperature is between minus 4.5 to minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, such a condition is called a ‘cold day’. If the deviation of the maximum temperature from normal is greater than minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, it is called a ‘severe cold day’.

Weather forecast for the coming days

Subsequently, due to the influence of the upcoming western disturbance, a rise in temperature and a decrease in fog density are likely. Under these conditions, the meteorological centre, Lucknow, has issued an orange alert for some districts and a red alert for other districts of the state.

Red alert has been sounded as very dense fog to remain prevalent in Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Shravasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur and surrounding areas till Sunday morning.

Agra Air Force station, Prayagraj, Kanpur Air Force station reported zero visibility each; Bahraich 20, Bareilly 40, Meerut and Shravasti 50 metres, Lucknow 350 metres and Gorakhpur 400 metres.