A thick, persistent blanket of dense fog has gripped northern Madhya Pradesh, severely disrupting daily life and transportation as visibility dropped to a hazardous 50 meters in several areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for dense fog across nearly 20 districts, warning that the challenging conditions are likely to persist through the weekend.
The fog has caused major travel chaos, grounding flights and stranding trains across the state during a critical holiday travel period.
Travel Chaos: Trains and Flights Grind to a Halt
The dense fog has brought road, rail, and air traffic to a crawl. Major trains, including the Shatabdi, Punjab Mail, and several express services, are running behind schedule by 30 minutes to as much as 8 hours. Air connectivity has also taken a severe hit.
Flight Disruptions: Operations at airports in Indore and Bhopal have been affected, with delays and cancellations for routes to major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru due to very low visibility during morning hours.
Wider Regional Impact: The disruption isn't confined to MP. The IMD has warned of "dense to very dense fog" across the entire Indo-Gangetic plain, including Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, until at least December 26, causing nationwide travel headaches.
IMD's Alert and Critical Safety Advisory
The IMD has categorized the threat, issuing an orange alert for dense fog in the Gwalior-Chambal region, Rewa, Sagar, and parts of Jabalpur. A less severe yellow alert is in place for several other districts.
Weather scientist Arun Sharma emphasized that fog intensity peaks during the late night and early morning. The IMD has issued urgent safety guidelines for drivers:
Use fog lamps and low-beam headlights.
Drive at a slow speed while maintaining a safe distance.
Avoid sudden braking.
Postpone non-essential travel until visibility improves.
Plunging Temperatures and the Meteorological Cause
The fog accompanies a sharp drop in temperatures. On Friday night, Indore shivered at 4.1°C, while Bhopal recorded 6.4°C. Shivpuri was the coldest recorded spot in the state at 4°C.
Meteorologists point to two key phenomena driving this intense cold and fog:
1. Western Disturbance: An active system over the Himalayas is set to push colder winds into central India.
2. The Jet Stream: A powerful, high-altitude air current flowing at speeds up to 222 kmph is channeling icy winds from the Himalayas into the region, significantly amplifying the chill.
This winter has already been severe, with Bhopal recently enduring its longest November cold wave since 1931.
Outlook and Precautionary Measures
The IMD forecast indicates foggy mornings and cold conditions will continue for the next several days. With holiday travel in full swing, authorities urge extreme caution.
Residents should monitor live train and flight statuses, allow significant extra travel time, and ensure they are bundled up against the cold.
The combination of very dense fog and freezing temperatures makes for dangerous conditions, underscoring the importance of heeding official advisories to stay safe.
