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

New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): 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)