Longest fog spell hits MP this winter:Icy winds intensify cold, 11 cities stay under 20°C; trains delayed for hours

Madhya Pradesh is facing its longest spell of winter fog this season. Dense fog covered many districts, including Bhopal, throughout Saturday and continued on Sunday. Day temperatures stayed low, trains were delayed for hours, and the Meteorological Department has warned that fog and cold wave conditions may continue for the next few days. Dense fog all day, severe cold persists For the first time this winter, thick fog remained through the entire day in Bhopal on Saturday. Similar conditions were seen across the state. Because of the fog, daytime cold intensified. Temperatures stayed below 20°C in 11 cities. Weather conditions are likely to remain the same for the next two to three days. A cold wave will also continue. Train services hit by fog Fog has disrupted rail traffic across the state. More than a dozen trains, including Malwa Express, Sachkhand Express and Shatabdi Express, running from Delhi to Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain, are delayed daily. Delays range from 30 minutes to six hours. The situation continued on Sunday as well. Fog across large parts of the state On Sunday, dense fog was reported in many districts, including Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Raisen, Sagar, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi, Singrauli, Shahdol, Umaria, Katni, Maihar and Shajapur. In Indore, visibility dropped to zero on Saturday night. Even vehicles ahead were not visible. Why fog has increased Senior meteorologist H.S. Pandey said fog is affecting most of North India. Similar weather is being seen in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. After the passage of a Western Disturbance, enough moisture remains in the atmosphere. Fog is expected for one or two more days, though not for such long hours. Dense fog alert for next 2 days January 5: Gwalior, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Shivpuri, Niwari, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Maihar, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi and Singrauli. January 6: Shivpuri, Sheopur, Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Niwari, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi and Singrauli. Cold wave and rain likely in January Senior meteorologist Dr Divya E. Surendran said December passed without rain in the state. The weather stayed clear, and cold wave conditions lasted for 15 to 16 days in districts such as Bhopal and Indore. Similar conditions are expected in January. Light rain was recorded in Gwalior on the first day of the year. There is also a possibility of rain in Bhopal and Indore. The cold wave may last 15 to 20 days this month. Severe cold is likely from the second week of January till the end. Day temperatures fall, nights turn slightly warmer Night temperatures have risen slightly, but daytime temperatures have dropped due to the cold wave. On Saturday, maximum temperatures were: Datia was the coldest, with a maximum of 16.6°C.Other low readings included Rewa (17°C), Nowgong (17.3°C), Sidhi (17.6°C), Umaria (18°C), Damoh (19°C) and Satna (19.2°C). Minimum temperatures recorded Pachmarhi recorded the lowest night temperature at 5.6°C.Shivpuri saw 6°C, Datia 6.6°C, Rajgarh 8.2°C, Mandla 8.9°C and Ratlam 9.8°C.In most other cities, minimum temperatures remained above 10°C. Record-breaking cold this winter This winter has broken several records in Madhya Pradesh. November was the coldest in 84 years. December was the coldest in 25 years. The Meteorological Department has predicted a similar spell of severe cold in January. Experts said the state has already seen near sub-zero conditions in previous Januaries. This time too, intense cold, dense fog and cold wave conditions are expected. Reasons behind the extreme cold Snowfall in hill states and frequent Western Disturbances are increasing the impact of winter. Along with morning fog, cold day and cold wave conditions are continuing. On Saturday, the jet stream speed reached around 278 kmph, bringing strong cold winds during the day. What is a jet stream Weather experts explained that the jet stream is a fast-flowing wind at about 12.6 km above ground. This time, its speed reached nearly 285 kmph.It is active over northern India. Cold winds from the plains and icy winds from the mountains combine, intensifying winter conditions in the state. Why January feels colder According to the Meteorological Department, December and January are the coldest months, just as July and August are key monsoon months.Cold winds from North India frequently reach Madhya Pradesh during this period. Western Disturbances also bring winter rain, known locally as Mavtha.Last year, many districts received rain in January. This year, clouds appeared on the very first day of the month, signalling a similar pattern.