Patna: Bihar is battling a double blow from winter, as icy westerly winds combine with a thick blanket of fog to plunge much of the state into bone-chilling conditions, disrupting daily life and transport networks.
The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for several districts, warning of severe cold day conditions and dense fog. Gaya emerged as the coldest location in the state over the past 24 hours, with the minimum temperature dropping to 5.2 degrees Celsius. Large parts of north and central Bihar, including the capital Patna, have also reported intense cold during daytime hours.
Meteorologists attribute the conditions to active westerly winds sweeping across the region, intensifying the chill. Even intermittent sunlight has failed to bring relief, with daytime temperatures in several districts remaining well below normal. In places such as Chapra, maximum temperatures have dipped sharply, reinforcing cold day conditions.
Dense fog has compounded the situation, slashing visibility to as low as 50 metres in parts of the state. In Gaya, the fog was so thick that normal movement was severely affected, raising the risk of road accidents. Officials noted that the city had witnessed even harsher conditions in the past, with temperatures falling to 2.4 degrees Celsius in December 2019.
Transport services have borne the brunt of the weather. Multiple flights from Patna, Darbhanga and Purnea airports were cancelled, while others operated with significant delays. Long-distance trains are running hours behind schedule, and road traffic has slowed considerably as motorists struggle with poor visibility.
The weather office has issued a cold day alert for the next two days in 14 districts, including Patna, Gaya, Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Nalanda, Nawada, Begusarai, Sheikhpura and Jamui. A dense fog warning remains in place for several districts in north and east Bihar, with extremely low visibility expected until midday in areas such as Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, Vaishali, Samastipur, Purnea and Katihar.
— Mausam Bihar- IMD Patna (@imd_patna) December 27, 2025
According to meteorologists, cold winds and fog are likely to persist across most districts on January 1 and January 2. While a marginal rise in temperatures is expected after December 31, experts caution that the cold wave may linger into the first and second weeks of January.
Amid the harsh conditions, the administration has urged residents to remain vigilant. Officials have warned that extreme cold can be life-threatening, particularly for the elderly, children and homeless people. Several districts have arranged bonfires and night shelters as emergency measures to protect those most at risk.
