Dense fog shrouded vast parts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday, severely disrupting normal life and reducing visibility to alarming levels, including zero in some districts. The thick blanket of fog, which persisted during the morning and late evening hours, posed significant challenges for commuters and residents across the state.
Visibility Plummets Across Key Districts
According to data recorded by the Lucknow Meteorological centre, the situation was most critical in Prayagraj, where visibility dropped to absolute zero. Other major cities were not spared either. In the holy city of Varanasi, visibility was severely reduced to less than 50 metres. The conditions in Ghazipur were recorded at less than 100 metres, while the state capital, Lucknow, experienced visibility of under 400 metres.
Weather Experts Explain the Cause and Forecast
Senior scientist Mohammad Danish from the state Met department attributed this intense fog formation to specific meteorological conditions. "Dense to moderate fog was witnessed in several districts of Uttar Pradesh as warm easterly winds with moisture got condensed when a new western disturbance occurred and passed through, bringing cool winds," he explained.
The weather office has issued a warning that the fog conditions in Lucknow and other affected districts are likely to intensify over the next two days. However, Danish added that no significant fall in day or night temperatures is expected in the coming days.
Temperature Readings and Outlook
On Monday, Lucknow recorded a maximum temperature of 24.6 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 11 degrees Celsius. The forecast for Tuesday predicts similar conditions with a possibility of moderate fog during the morning hours, followed by a mainly clear sky later in the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 25 and 10 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The scientist further stated that the weather across Uttar Pradesh is most likely to remain dry. However, he cautioned that dense fog is very likely at isolated places in the state, urging people to exercise caution while traveling. Authorities advise residents to:
- Avoid unnecessary travel during early morning and late-night hours.
- Use fog lights while driving and maintain low speed.
- Check for flight and train updates before heading out.
