Blanket of Fog: IMD Issues Red Alert for Dense Fog in Uttar Pradesh

As Uttar Pradesh wakes up to an unexpected challenge, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for dense fog in 30 districts, including prominent ones like Lucknow, Kanpur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Mathura. The blanket of fog has led to a series of disruptions, affecting travel and visibility across the state.

The season's worst fog has descended upon northern India, causing a significant pile-up of at least 12 vehicles on the Delhi-Agra Yamuna Expressway. The IMD has strongly advised residents to avoid travel during the morning and evening hours, especially in districts where visibility is expected to drop to zero meters. The situation is particularly severe in cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Fatehpur, where visibility has already reached alarming lows.

In Lucknow, the fog took residents by surprise as the usual winter chill was absent. The impact on daily life was immediate, with concerns raised about the safety of students traveling long distances to reach schools. With visibility dropping to zero in the state capital, delays in train schedules and flight diversions became common. Minister of State for Transport, Dayashankar Singh, has directed transport officials to take precautionary measures, ensuring the safety of commuters during reduced visibility caused by the dense fog.

The effects of the fog were not limited to transportation alone; even iconic landmarks like Bada Imambada, Chhota Imambada, and the Clock Tower in the old city became shrouded in dense fog, making them barely visible even from a short distance.

As residents grapple with the unexpected weather conditions, there are calls for adjustments in school timings to ensure the safety of students. Concerned parents argue that altered timings could prevent students from having to travel during the peak of dense fog in the early morning.

The weather forecast for Lucknow indicates that the dense to very dense fog will persist during morning hours, gradually giving way to a mainly clear sky later in the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 24 and 10 degrees Celsius, respectively. Other parts of the state, such as Hamirpur, Kanpur, Meerut, Churk, Bahraich, and Ghazipur, are also experiencing varying degrees of temperature drops due to the prevailing weather conditions.

As the foggy spell continues, residents are advised to stay updated on weather alerts, plan their commutes wisely, and exercise caution on the roads. The red alert from IMD underscores the importance of prioritizing safety during adverse weather conditions, urging everyone to stay vigilant and informed.