Bone-Chilling Cold and Dense Fog Grip Uttar Pradesh, Temperature Dips to 2.4°C

January 5, 2026

Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh is experiencing a mountain-chilling cold. Western winds have increased the chill. Over the past 24 hours, the temperature dropped to 2.4°C for the first time this season. This was even lower than Shimla and Manali (2.6°C).

Dense Fog Envelops 50 Districts

On Monday morning, 50 districts, including Ballia, Jhansi, and Gorakhpur, were engulfed in dense fog. Dewdrops fell like drizzle.

Cloud Cover and Cold Winds Worsen Conditions

Visibility dropped to zero to 10 meters in many districts. The streets were deserted. Clouds covered 10 cities, including Lucknow, Bhadohi, Ballia, Sambhal, and Ghazipur. Cold winds were blowing at speeds of 10 to 15 km/h. Cold day-like conditions persisted even during the day.

Etawah Coldest Place in Last 24 Hours

In the last 24 hours, Etawah was the coldest. The minimum night temperature here was recorded at 2.4°C. Furthermore, the mercury reached 3.0°C in Bahraich, 5.0°C in Gorakhpur, 5.4°C in Sultanpur, and 5.6°C in Azamgarh. The Meteorological Department says that the next five days will be crucial. People should only leave their homes if absolutely necessary.

Fog Triggers Fatal Road Accidents

Fog caused two accidents on Monday. Nine vehicles collided, killing five people and injuring more than 10. The deceased included a mother, father, and daughter.

Fog caused seven vehicles to collide on the Agra-Gwalior road in the Iradat Nagar police station area. Due to poor visibility near the Khari River, five trucks and two cars collided one after the other. Two people were killed and half a dozen others were injured.

Train and Flight Services Affected

More than 100 trains are running late, VIP trains are also affected. Due to fog, more than 100 trains are running late at all the railway stations including Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Varanasi. In Lucknow, VIP trains like Tejas-Shatabdi are running with a delay of 2-2 hours. At the same time, more than 5 flights are cancelled at the airports. Many are taking off late. Schools and colleges across the state are closed till today i.e. 5th January. In Varanasi, schools up to 8th standard have been closed till 6th January.

What will the weather be like in January?

According to the Meteorological Department, cold and fog will persist in the state until January. Minimum temperatures will remain below normal. Some areas may experience light rain or drizzle due to the influence of a western disturbance. For the entire month, cold wave conditions may exceed the average by three days.

According to meteorologists, the current La Niña conditions may gradually weaken and turn into neutral conditions during January, February, and March. Consequently, minimum temperatures are expected to be below normal across much of the state in January, while maximum temperatures may remain normal or slightly above normal.