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North India Gripped by Dense Fog, Zero Visibility Hits Multiple Cities

A dense fog blanket severely reduced visibility across North India, with several stations reporting zero visibility. The disruptive conditions have led to the closure of schools for younger students in Gautam Buddh Nagar district. Concurrently, Delhi's air quality remains in the 'very poor' category amid the cold wave. The IMD forecasts that cold day conditions are likely to continue across several northern states.

Key Points: Dense Fog Covers North India, Disrupts Visibility and Closes Schools

  • Zero visibility in Amritsar, Chandigarh, Varanasi
  • Schools closed in Gautam Buddh Nagar
  • Delhi AQI in 'very poor' category
  • Cold wave conditions to persist
2 min read

North India shivers as dense fog envelops cities amid persistent cold wave

Dense fog causes zero visibility in several North Indian cities, disrupts travel, and prompts school closures in Gautam Buddh Nagar amid a severe cold wave.

"six stations reported zero visibility early Friday morning, with fog conditions categorised as 'very dense' - IMD"

New Delhi, January 16

A thick blanket of dense fog covered large parts of North India on a chilly Friday morning, disrupting visibility across several cities and adding to the discomfort caused by the ongoing cold wave.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), six stations reported zero visibility early Friday morning, with fog conditions categorised as 'very dense'. Amritsar, Adampur, and Pathankot in Punjab; Chandigarh; and Hindon, Sharanpur, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh reported zero visibility.

Other locations, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir, recorded visibility of around 200 meters under 'moderate' fog conditions. Kanpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh reported visibility of 400 meters, while Moradabad also witnessed significantly reduced visibility as residents bundled up in layers and scarves during their early morning commute.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Palam reported 800 meters and Safdarjung recorded 700 meters of visibility amid shallow fog around 6 AM. Meanwhile, South India was not spared, as dense fog was observed across multiple cities. Footage from the Madurai National Highway in Tiruchirappalli showed the area enveloped in thick fog during the morning hours.

In view of the prevailing fog and cold weather conditions, all schools (from Nursery to Class 8) affiliated with all boards (CBSE/ICSE/IB, UP Board and others) operating in Gautam Buddh Nagar district will remain closed from January 16 to January 17, 2026.

According to the office of the District Basic Education Officer, Gautam Buddh Nagar, the order states that while students are not to come to classes, Teachers and staff of government, aided, and private schools will report to school as usual.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) continued to remain a serious concern, with the overall recorded at 346 at 7 am on Friday, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Several areas across the national capital reported AQI levels above 300.

The national capital is also experiencing a cold wave, with temperatures dipping to around 5.4 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to the IMD, cold day and severe cold day conditions are likely to continue today in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on January 16. Additionally, for January 17, it has been forecasted that the conditions are very likely to continue in some isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Odisha.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good decision to close schools for younger kids. It's not just the fog, the cold is biting. My daughter's school bus comes at 6:45 am, it's still pitch dark and freezing. Health should come first.
A
Aman W
The AQI at 346 is the real scary part here. Fog + pollution = smog. We are breathing poison. When will we see serious, year-round action on stubble burning and vehicle emissions? This is a public health emergency every winter.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see South India mentioned too with Madurai highway. Often think it's just a North Indian problem. Hope flight schedules are being managed properly. Had a friend stuck at Delhi airport for 6 hours last week due to fog.
V
Vikram M
Chai and blanket weather! But seriously, kudos to the essential workers - the traffic police, delivery persons, and sanitation staff who have to be out in this. Our cities run because of them. 🙏
K
Karthik V
While the school closure is for safety, I respectfully disagree with the "teachers report as usual" part. If it's unsafe for children to travel, it's equally unsafe for the staff, many of whom travel longer distances. The policy needs a rethink.
N
Nisha Z

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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