Dense fog blankets Rajasthan, cold wave grips Telangana; IMD issues alert

Dense winter conditions have tightened their hold across north and south India, with thick fog choking parts of Rajasthan and a sharp cold wave sweeping Telangana, disrupting daily life and prompting fresh warnings from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Visibility plunged to just 10 metres in some areas of Jaipur, while several districts in Telangana reported night temperatures in single digits, underlining how severe this winter spell has become.

Large parts of Rajasthan woke up to dense fog on Monday, with the outskirts of Jaipur recording visibility as low as 10 metres. Similar conditions were reported from border districts such as Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar, where morning travel turned difficult as roads and buildings disappeared into a thick grey haze. Over the past 24 hours, fog also covered Hanumangarh, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli and Dausa, affecting both visibility and daytime temperatures.

Days colder than nights in many districts

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The fog, combined with the impact of an active Western Disturbance over north India, has led to unusual temperature patterns in Rajasthan. While minimum temperatures have risen due to cloud cover, daytime temperatures have dropped sharply, making days colder than nights in several cities. On Sunday, maximum temperatures in many places fell below 20 degrees Celsius. Alwar recorded a high of 17 degrees Celsius, while Karauli saw 17.8 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest day of the season so far for both districts.

Cities such as Dausa, Sri Ganganagar, Kota, Pilani, Jaipur, Chittorgarh and Jaisalmer also reported a decline of 1 to 7 degrees Celsius.

IMD warns of severe cold in Rajasthan

Radheshyam Sharma, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Jaipur, said the Western Disturbance would continue to influence the weather through Monday. “From December 23, cold northerly winds will strengthen, leading to a drop of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures. Dense fog is also expected to persist in parts of northeastern and northwestern Rajasthan,” he said.
The IMD has issued a severe cold warning from Tuesday, advising people to take precautions, especially during early morning and late evening hours.

Cold wave grips Telangana, nights turn bitter

While Rajasthan battles fog, Telangana is in the grip of a cold wave, with several districts reporting minimum temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Kohir in Sangareddy district was the coldest place in the state at 5 degrees Celsius, followed by Reddy Palle in Ranga Reddy district at 6.9 degrees Celsius. Out of 33 districts, 17 recorded minimum temperatures in single digits.

Other low readings included Sirpur (U) at 7 degrees Celsius, Arili at 8.3 degrees Celsius, Nawabpet at 8.7 degrees Celsius, Pothareddipet and Damarancha at 9.5 degrees Celsius, and Gandhari at 9.7 degrees Celsius.

Hyderabad and its suburbs also saw a noticeable dip in night temperatures, with mist and fog reported in surrounding districts.

Orange and yellow alerts across the state

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Sangareddy, Medak and Kamareddy, where minimum temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius are likely till December 26. A yellow alert is in place for districts including Hyderabad, Hanumakonda, Karimnagar, Warangal, Medchal Malkajgiri, Ranga Reddy, Siddipet, Vikarabad and Nizamabad, which may see night temperatures between 11 and 15 degrees Celsius over the next five days.
The remaining districts are expected to stay above 15 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD, dry weather is likely to prevail over Telangana for the next two days, with minimum temperatures remaining 3 to 4 degrees Celsius below normal at isolated places. For Hyderabad, the forecast suggests a partly cloudy sky, misty mornings and hazy nights, with temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius during the day and 13 degrees Celsius at night. Across both states, authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel during foggy hours, keep warm, and stay updated with local weather advisories as winter conditions intensify.