Dense fog alert till New Year for Tricity region

Dense fog continued to blanket the Tricity region for the second consecutive day on Friday, even as both day and night temperatures recorded a noticeable rise, staying above normal.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an orange alert for dense to very dense fog at a few places for four days from Saturday to Tuesday, followed by a yellow alert for dense fog at isolated places on New Year’s Eve and the next day.

According to IMD data, Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 20.7°C, up by 3.3°C from the previous day and 0.6°C above normal, while the minimum settled at 8.8°C, rising 1.9°C over the previous night and 1.8°C above normal. Similar trends were observed across Mohali and Panchkula, indicating a gradual warming despite persistent fog. Relative humidity levels remained high, touching 95% at Chandigarh, aiding fog formation and prolonging low-visibility conditions during morning and late evening hours.

The past 24 hours remained dry across Punjab and Haryana, though dense to very dense fog was reported at isolated places in both states. Calm winds for most of the day further contributed to the persistence of fog over the plains, including the Tricity region.

In its five-day forecast for the Tricity, the IMD has predicted partly cloudy sky with dense fog through December 31, with maximum temperatures ranging between 18°C and 20°C, and minimum between 7°C and 9°C. Day temperatures are expected to inch up gradually, while nights will remain relatively mild for late December.

Across the region, the lowest minimum temperature was recorded at Gurdaspur (6°C) in Punjab and Narnaul (5.5°C) in Haryana.