CHANDIGARH, Dec 29 — Punjab and Haryana are expected to welcome the new year with wet weather, as isolated light to moderate rainfall is predicted on January 1, 2026, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Dense fog could reduce visibility, potentially affecting travel across the region.
The cold wave continues, with Hisar recording a low of 2.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. Chandigarh registered a minimum of 7.2 degrees Celsius, while Ambala, Karnal, and Rohtak experienced temperatures ranging between 5.5 and 8.6 degrees Celsius.
In Punjab, Ballowal Saunkhri in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district was the coldest place at 2.4 degrees Celsius. Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Patiala also recorded dense fog, reducing visibility to less than 50 metres. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has warned of potential flight delays at some airports in Northern India due to fog.
The IMD predicted scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall or snowfall across the Western Himalayan region from December 30 to January 2. Isolated snowfall and rain are also expected over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the same period.
