IMD Weather update today: Cold wave conditions likely to continue in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh; Delhi-NCR to remain partly cloudy till…, rainfall alert…

IMD Weather update, January 2, 2026: A thick blanket of pollution and biting cold continues to grip several parts of the country. The Meteorological Department has now issued rain warnings for three states in northern India(BHARAT). According to the IMD, Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh during January 1 to January 4; Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi during January 2 to January 5; Rajasthan during January 4 to January 7, 2026.

In the meantime, citizens are urged to exercise caution since snowfall alerts have been issued for hill states. Additionally, 24 cities have received dense fog warnings, making morning travel particularly risky. Issuing a press release, IMD stated, “Isolated Thunderstorm and lightning likely over gusty wind speed (30-40kmph) likely to prevail over Andaman and Nicobar Islands 1 and Tamil Nadu on January 1 and January 2, 2026 and heavy rainfall likely over Tamil Nadu on January 1, 2025.”

Where are cold wave conditions expected to persist today?

Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to continue during the night and morning hours at many/some places over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi till January 6; over Odisha till January 5; over Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh till January 2, at isolated pockets over Rajasthan till January 3, 2026, the weather agency stated.

Dense fog conditions are also likely during night and morning hours at isolated pockets Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-GilgitBaltistan-Muzaffarabad till January 4; over Himachal Pradesh during January 2-5; over Uttarakhand till January 5; over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during January 7 -8; over Bihar and Uttar Pradesh till January 8; over Rajasthan on January 4; over Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh during January 3; over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during January 2-5; over
Gangetic West Bengal till January4; over Jharkhand on 1 and 2; Odisha on January 6; Arunachal Pradesh till January 4 and Assam and Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura till January 6, 2026.

The IMD has further stated that Cold day conditions are very likely at isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on January 1; over Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on January 1 and 2; Bihar during January 1 to January 3, 2026. Cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh during January 1 to January 4; Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi during January 2 to January 5; Rajasthan during January 4 to January 7, 2026.

Delhi-NCR weather forecast till January 4, 2026

January 2: Partly cloudy sky. Moderate fog at many places with dense fog at a few places during morning
hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the range of 16 to 18°C and 08 to 10°C, respectively. The minimum temperatures will be above normal (2.1 to 4.1°C) and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (-1.3 to -3.3°C) over Delhi. “The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction associated with calm wind reaching upto 05 kmph during the morning hours. The wind speed will increase becoming up to 10 kmph from the northwest direction in the afternoon. The wind speed will decrease, becoming less than 06 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night,” reads the press release.

January 3: Mainly clear sky. IMD stated, “Moderate fog at many places with dense fog at a few places during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the range of 16 to 18°C and 06 to 08°C, respectively.” The minimum temperatures will be above normal (0.1 to 2.1°C), and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (-1.3 to -3.3°C) over Delhi. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction with wind speed up to 10 kmph during morning hours. The wind speed is likely to be from the northwest direction with wind speed up to 15 kmph during the afternoon. The wind speed will decrease, becoming less than 06 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night.

January 4: Mainly clear sky. Moderate fog during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 17°C to 19°C and 06°C to 08°C respectively. The minimum temperatures will be near normal, and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (-0.3 to -2.3°C) over Delhi. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction with wind speed up to 08 kmph during the morning hours. The wind speed will increase up to 16 kmph from the northwest direction in the afternoon. The wind speed will be less than 05 kmph from the west-northwest direction during the evening and night.