Uttar Pradesh is under a severe cold wave, with Kanpur recording 4.2°C on December 5, 2025—the lowest since 2016 and 6.1°C below normal.
Minimum temperatures have dropped below 10°C in most districts, including Muzaffarnagar (5.4°C), Etawah (5.4°C), Bareilly (5.9°C), and Meerut (6.2°C).
IMD has issued cold wave alerts for Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and northwest Jharkhand, with dense fog expected in isolated pockets of Assam, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha.
A Western Disturbance over the Himalayas is channeling icy northwesterly winds into Uttar Pradesh; severe cold conditions are forecast from December 8 onwards.
The weather is expected to remain dry with shallow to moderate fog in the mornings; minimum temperatures may rise 2–3°C in the next three days before falling again.
Uttar Pradesh is reeling under an intense cold wave, with temperatures plummeting to their lowest levels in nearly a decade. On December 5, 2025, Kanpur recorded a minimum temperature of 4.2°C, making it the coldest city in the state and 6.1°C below the seasonal normal—the lowest since 2016. The biting chill has forced residents to rely on heaters and bonfires to stay warm, especially during the night. Most districts across the state have seen minimum temperatures drop below 10°C, with Muzaffarnagar at 5.4°C, Etawah at 5.4°C, Bareilly at 5.9°C, and Meerut at 6.2°C
Uttar Pradesh: IMD Alerts and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave alert for several northern states, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and northwest Jharkhand, with conditions expected to persist on December 6 and 7. Dense fog warnings have been issued for isolated pockets in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha during early morning hours. While no dense fog alert is currently in place for Uttar Pradesh, shallow to moderate fog is likely in the mornings, particularly in western districts such as Agra, Aligarh, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur.
Temperature Forecast and Regional Variations
Daytime temperatures in Uttar Pradesh range between 23–26°C, with Kanpur recording a maximum of 26.6°C on December 5. However, the nights are exceptionally cold, and the wind chill from northwesterly winds is making the cold feel more severe. The IMD forecasts that minimum temperatures may rise by 2–3°C over the next three days due to a change in wind direction, but this will be followed by another drop as a new Western Disturbance approaches. From December 8 onwards, severe cold conditions are expected to grip the state again as the disturbance brings moisture from the Arabian Sea, potentially causing temperature fluctuations.
Impact of Western Disturbance and Future Outlook
The current cold wave is being driven by a Western Disturbance over the Himalayas, which has caused snowfall in the mountains and is channeling icy polar winds into the plains of Uttar Pradesh. This disturbance is expected to intensify from December 8, leading to a further drop in temperatures and possibly harsher conditions. December and January are traditionally the coldest months in Uttar Pradesh, and the IMD anticipates that the cold wave will persist for the next 4–5 days, with no significant rainfall expected. The weather will remain dry, with shallow to moderate fog in the mornings, and residents are advised to prepare for an extended spell of winter.
