Winter bites hard as mercury plunges to 4.4°C in GB Nagar, dense fog disrupts visibility

The IMD has forecast fog or mist during early morning hours over Gautam Budh Nagar for the next few days, though no weather warning has been issued so far.

Gautam Budh Nagar recorded its coldest morning of the season on Friday, with the minimum temperature plunging to 4.4°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Ghaziabad experienced light drizzle on Friday morning, along with cold winds and dense fog. (Sakib Ali/HT PHOTO)

The maximum temperature hovered around 16°C, while dense fog and high humidity continued to dominate early morning conditions.

On Thursday, the district recorded a minimum temperature of 6.0°C and the maximum settled at 15.8°C, indicating a further drop in night temperatures within 24 hours.

Visibility remained poor during morning, affecting commuters in Greater Noida, Noida and surrounding areas, the IMD said.

The cold conditions was followed light rainfall on Thursday. Similar weather conditions were observed in neighbouring Ghaziabad, where minimum temperatures fell sharply, accompanied by dense fog during early morning hours, meteorologists said.

On Friday, minimum temperature in Ghaziabad stood at 5.9°C, while the maximum hovered around 15–16°C, according to IMD data. High humidity levels led to dense fog and reduced visibility during early morning hours.

Vice president of Climate and Meteorology, Skymet Weather, Mahesh Palawat said the prevailing cold spell across the National Capital Region (NCR) is likely to persist.

“The lowest temperature recorded at Delhi’s Safdarjung observatory was 4.6°C, the lowest of the season so far. Temperatures across NCR may remain in a similar range over the next few days,” Palawat said. He added that no cold wave conditions have been declared. “Light rain over parts of Delhi and south Haryana has contributed to the moisture, but the weather is expected to turn dry from Saturday”, he said.

Residents in Gautam Budh Nagar said the cold was felt more due to fog and dampness. “The mornings are extremely cold now. Fog makes visibility very poor, especially while driving to work”, said Amit Sharma, a resident of Omicron 1, Greater Noida.

Rekha Singh, Noida sector 62 resident, said daily routines have been affected. “The cold feels harsher this year. Even afternoons feel chilly because the fog doesn’t clear quickly,” she said.

The IMD has forecast fog or mist during early morning hours over Gautam Budh Nagar for the next few days, though no weather warning has been issued so far.