Severe cold and dense fog marked the transition from 2025 to 2026 across large parts of Madhya Pradesh, with several districts recording night-time lows and widespread travel disruption. The state administration has ordered schools to remain closed until 4 January to protect children’s health.
Madhya Pradesh cold wave and forecast
On Wednesday, Kalyanpur in Shahdol recorded a minimum temperature of 3.2°C. Night-time lows elsewhere included Bhopal at 9.0°C, Gwalior 8.2°C, Indore 7.2°C and Ujjain 9.8°C. Hill station Panchmadi registered 5.6°C. By contrast, daytime maxima were much higher in some districts, with Mandla reporting 29.3°C and Khandwa 29.1°C.
The dense fog severely reduced visibility in several districts. Gwalior and Datia reported visibility as low as 50 metres, while medium to dense fog affected parts of Gwalior-Chambal, Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions. The fog hampered road movement and caused delays to train services on routes to and from Delhi.
The State Meteorological Centre, Bhopal and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attribute the cold spell to a western disturbance currently positioned over northern Pakistan and adjoining Afghanistan at roughly 3.1 km above mean sea level. A mid-tropospheric trough lies at about 5.8 km, and the western jet stream flows at approximately 12.6 km with wind speeds near 278 km/h. These upper-air features are driving the fall in temperatures and sustaining the cold conditions.
Forecasters say the present weather pattern is likely to persist for a day or two. A slight rise in temperature of 2–3°C is possible in the first week of January, but night-time temperatures are expected to drop again in the second week.
Districts reporting medium to dense fog on Thursday included Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Datia, Niwari, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Shahdol, Umaria, Bhopal, Indore, Sehore, Raisen, Vidisha, Mandla and Dindori. Shahdol also experienced the effects of a cold wave during the same period.
In response to the prolonged chill, the Madhya Pradesh education department has declared winter holidays for all government and private schools from 31 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, covering nursery through Class 12 and all recognised boards. Schools are scheduled to reopen on 5 January.
Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution, drive at reduced speeds in fog-affected areas and allow extra time for journeys. Railway passengers were advised to check train schedules as several services between Madhya Pradesh and Delhi experienced delays.
Local administrations continue to monitor the situation and will update advisories if conditions worsen. Residents, particularly the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, are advised to take precautions against the cold and to keep informed through official weather bulletins.
Key Takeaways:
- Madhya Pradesh cold wave brings dense fog and night temperatures falling below 4°C in parts of the state.
- Schools (Nursery to Class 12) will remain closed from 31 December to 4 January for student safety.
- Visibility fell to as low as 50 metres in Gwalior and Datia; road and rail traffic were disrupted.
- IMD and the State Meteorological Centre forecast continuing cold with a brief rise in the first week, then further night-time falls.
