Cold Wave and Dense Fog Alert: The capital Bhopal has experienced the coldest temperatures and densest fog of the season. Although there is no official confirmation from the Meteorological Department, visibility here at 6 AM was recorded at less than 20 metres. Meanwhile, due to the cold wave, school holidays have been declared in several districts.
Cold Wave And Dense Fog Alert: Due to icy winds blowing from North India, increased moisture in the atmosphere has led to severe cold and fog gripping the regions of Madhya Pradesh. The situation is such that the chill has intensified during the day as well as at night. Last night, the coldest temperatures of the season were recorded in most parts of the state, while the fog that enveloped the region on Monday morning reduced visibility to zero in many places. Meanwhile, the capital Bhopal is experiencing the coldest temperatures and densest fog of the season today.
On Monday morning, the capital city of Bhopal recorded the coldest temperatures and densest fog of the season. Although there is no official confirmation from the meteorological department, visibility was recorded at less than 20 metres at 6 AM. The lowest temperature in the state was recorded in Rajgarh at 5 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the maximum temperature in 9 districts was recorded below 20 degrees Celsius.
Datia, Khandwa, and Ratlam experienced a cold day. In Bhopal, the day temperature was recorded at 18.5 degrees Celsius, which is the lowest day temperature of the season. Due to extremely dense fog in Bhopal, Indore, and Ujjain, the morning visibility was 50 metres. In Naugaon, it was zero. Narmadapuram and Malajkhand experienced dense fog, with minimum visibility recorded at 20 metres.
Due to the severe cold, schools in several districts, including Indore, Jabalpur, and Gwalior, have been declared closed. In Bhopal and some other districts, school timings have been changed. On the instructions of Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan, District Education Officer Hariom Chaturvedi has declared holidays for classes 1 to 8 on January 5 and 6. So far, schools have been declared closed in Indore, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Dhar, Shajapur, Agar Malwa, and Dewas. In Bhopal, as per the order issued by District Education Officer N.K. Ahirwar, all schools up to class 8 will operate from 9:30 AM starting Monday.
According to the Meteorological Department, the density of fog is expected to increase further. Minimum temperatures are likely to drop by up to 2 degrees Celsius on Monday. Cold day conditions are also anticipated in several districts of the state, including Bhopal. The Meteorological Centre stated that a Western Disturbance is currently present as a trough over Afghanistan and its surrounding areas. Jet stream winds are blowing at a speed of approximately 300 km per hour at an altitude of 12.6 km over Northwest India.