Patna: Snowfall in the Himalayan region has intensified cold conditions across Bihar, with icy northwesterly winds blowing at speeds of 12 to 15 kmph, bringing severe cold and dense fog that has disrupted daily life across the state.
The Meteorological Centre on Monday issued an orange alert for cold day conditions and dense fog in 28 districts of Bihar, while a yellow alert for light fog has been issued in 10 districts. According to officials, a further drop in minimum temperatures is expected, and there is little chance of relief from the cold over the next two days.
Dense fog has significantly affected transport services. On Sunday, one flight from Patna was cancelled, while 14 flights operated with delays due to low visibility. Rail services were also impacted, with 16 trains running late.
Cold Day Conditions Persist, Temperature Gap Shrinks
Most parts of the state witnessed little to no sunshine on Sunday. Even where the sun appeared briefly, it was subdued by thick fog. Cold day conditions were recorded in cities including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Saharsa and Gaya.
In Patna, the maximum temperature was recorded at 14.5 degrees Celsius, while the minimum stood at 10.8 degrees Celsius, reflecting a narrow difference of 3.9 degrees. Muzaffarpur emerged as the coldest location, where the gap between maximum and minimum temperatures dropped to just 1.7 degrees Celsius. The city recorded a maximum of 13.8 degrees and a minimum of 12.1 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Centre has warned that visibility is likely to remain extremely poor in the 28 districts under orange alert, while moderate fog conditions are expected in the 10 districts under yellow alert, including Gaya. Similar weather conditions are likely to persist for the next two days.
Schools Closed in Several Districts Due to Severe Cold
In view of the biting cold and dense fog, district administrations have ordered the closure of schools in several parts of the state. In Bhagalpur, all schools up to Class 8 will remain closed till January 8, 2026. Similar orders have been issued in Muzaffarpur, Aurangabad and Madhubani, where schools up to Class 8 will remain shut till January 7.
Nalanda and Buxar districts have also announced school closures till January 8, while Supaul, Kishanganj and Aurangabad have ordered schools up to Class 8 to remain closed till January 6.
Flight and Train Services Affected by Low Visibility
Poor visibility due to dense fog led to the cancellation of an IndiGo flight from Patna to Delhi on Sunday. A total of 14 pairs of flights were delayed, including services to and from Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ranchi and Kolkata.
Train operations were also disrupted. The Jan Shatabdi Express was cancelled, while several key trains, including Tejas Rajdhani and Sampoorna Kranti Express, were delayed by one to seven hours. Other delayed trains included Magadh Express, South Bihar Express, Vikramshila Express and Buddha Purnima Express.
Interestingly, frequent delays of the Tejas Rajdhani have reduced passenger demand, making tickets on the Patna-Delhi route more easily available.
Outlook for the Coming Week
According to the Meteorological Centre, Bihar is unlikely to witness any significant relief from cold and fog over the next week. While minor fluctuations in minimum temperatures are possible, cold day conditions and dense morning fog are expected to continue across several regions.
On Sunday, the lowest minimum temperature was recorded in Chhapra at 8.2 degrees Celsius, while Sheikhpura recorded the highest maximum temperature at 19.5 degrees Celsius. Valmikinagar reported the densest fog, with visibility dropping to just 50 metres.
Why Is the Cold Intensifying?
Meteorologists attribute the worsening cold to the strongest western disturbance of the season that struck on January 2. The system caused snowfall in the hills and rainfall in the plains, allowing cold winds to sweep into Bihar. Persistent fog above the surface has blocked sunlight, keeping daytime temperatures 4 to 6 degrees below normal and resulting in cold day conditions.
