Winter is expected to strengthen across Uttar Pradesh in January as minimum temperatures remain below seasonal averages, raising the likelihood of additional cold-wave days in parts of the state. Barabanki registered the lowest overnight temperature on record recently at 3°C, while Lucknow recorded a minimum of 7°C and a daytime high of 21°C.
Uttar Pradesh January cold forecast
Clear skies greeted the new year in many parts of the state, with bright sunshine easing the daytime chill on 1 January. However, the India Meteorological Department has warned that the easing may be temporary. Dense fog is expected at several locations during the early mornings and late nights, and the department has issued specific alerts for districts including Banda, Chitrakoot, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Siddharth Nagar, Balrampur, Shrawasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat.
Other districts that may experience dense fog include Meerut, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras and Agra. Similar warnings cover Firozabad, Etawah, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Sambhal, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Jhansi.
Meteorologist Atul Kumar Singh explained that atmospheric conditions during December — driven by active La Niña patterns in the Pacific, a strong polar vortex and only weak western disturbances — produced unusually stable conditions. That stability allowed dense fog to persist, with foggy days rising unexpectedly to around 22 days in December and a rise in cold days to 12 during the second half of the month.
Those factors depressed the state’s average maximum temperatures by 2–4°C, keeping daytime highs in the range of roughly 18–22°C. At the same time, the average monthly minimum temperature stayed near normal at about 8–12°C due to the weak activity of western disturbances.
Looking ahead, the meteorological office expects La Niña to weaken gradually and move towards neutral conditions through the latter part of the winter. Even so, combined atmospheric signals suggest that the average monthly minimum temperature in January will remain below normal across much of Uttar Pradesh. Eastern and southern districts are most likely to see an increase in cold-wave days — potentially one to three more than the climatological average for this period.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to be normal or marginally above normal in some areas, limiting the daytime impact of the cold. Nonetheless, prolonged night-time cold and early-morning fog can increase health risks for vulnerable groups and disrupt surface transport and flight schedules.
Local authorities and health officials are advising citizens to take standard winter precautions: wear adequate warm clothing, check on elderly neighbours, protect infants and young children from prolonged exposure, and allow extra travel time where fog warnings are in effect. Road users should drive with caution in low visibility and follow local traffic advisories.
For residents and travellers, short-term clear spells may feel pleasant by day, but the underlying forecast points to a chillier month ahead. The meteorological department will continue to monitor western disturbances and evolving Pacific conditions and issue updates as the situation develops.
Key Takeaways:
- Uttar Pradesh January cold likely to deepen, with mean minimum temperatures forecast below normal across much of the state.
- Barabanki recorded the lowest minimum at 3°C; Lucknow saw 7°C (min) and 21°C (max).
- Dense fog alerts issued for multiple districts including Banda, Kushinagar, Meerut and Agra; travel disruptions possible.
- Meteorologists link prolonged fog and cold to recent La Niña patterns and weak western disturbances, with 1–3 additional cold days expected in eastern and southern UP.
