Patna: Bihar is experiencing a sharp winter chill, with temperatures dropping to near-Himalayan levels and dense fog causing widespread disruption. On Monday, Gaya recorded a minimum temperature of 4°C, comparable to the famous hill station of Manali.
Early Tuesday, thick fog enveloped nearly 20 districts, including Patna, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Darbhanga, Khagaria and Buxar, reducing visibility to less than 10 metres. In Ara, the poor conditions led to a tractor colliding with a passenger train. The vehicle was dragged for approximately 500 metres and became entangled with the train’s engine, although no major damage or injuries were reported.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange cold-day alert for five districts, including Patna. Rajgir was the coldest location in the state, recording a minimum temperature of 6.6°C in the past 24 hours.
Transport Delays Amid Fog and Cold
The persistent fog has severely affected both rail and air travel. The Rajdhani Express, which normally travels at speeds up to 130 km/h, is now running at roughly 70 km/h between Kanpur and Delhi, resulting in delays of up to ten hours for four trains originating or passing through Patna. Other express and local services are also running late by one to six hours, leaving passengers stranded on cold platforms.
At Patna Airport, 38 flights were delayed on Monday, with arrivals and departures postponed by up to two and a half hours. Passengers reported long waiting times as flights were rescheduled.
Meteorological Causes
Meteorologists attribute the unusual cold to an active jet stream in the upper atmosphere, which is directing frigid air directly onto the plains. Over the past two to three days, much of Bihar has remained under a blanket of fog and haze, preventing sunlight from warming the region and contributing to a sharp drop in maximum temperatures, which reached around 16°C, six degrees below normal.
The state is experiencing minimal day-night temperature variation, meaning the cold is being felt throughout the day. Westerly winds, averaging 4.2 km/h, have further intensified the chill.
The Meteorological Centre in Patna has issued warnings of persistent dense fog and cold-day conditions until December 27, with visibility expected to remain extremely low in the mornings and late evenings, affecting both road and rail traffic. Isolated areas in northern and southwestern districts are likely to see dense fog on December 23, while light to moderate fog may continue in other parts of the state over the next three days.
