DENSE fog sharply reduced visibility across the State, with the worst impact seen in the State capital and major cities. IMD data showed visibility in Bhopal dropping to as low as 50 metres, fluctuating between 50 and 200 metres during the early morning hours. Similarly, near-zero visibility conditions were reported from Indore and Ujjain, making travel slow and risky. In other parts of the State, fog also remained significant, with visibility staying below 1,000 metres in Ratlam, Narmadapuram, Gwalior and Malanjkhand.

 

The sharp fall in visibility highlights the severity of the ongoing fog spell gripping the State. Many districts woke up to poor visibility and a sharp winter chill due to continuous dense fog in the state. While the weather stayed dry throughout the state, dense to very dense fog during the night and early morning hours made conditions difficult, especially for commuters. Very dense fog was seen in Gwalior and Jabalpur, while dense fog covered Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain.

 

Moderate fog affected Malanjkhand and Narmadapuram, and lighter fog was reported from places like Ratlam and Khajuraho. The weather department has cautioned that fog will continue to affect visibility at several places, with some districts also facing cold day conditions. The cold intensified along with the fog. Cold day conditions were recorded in Umaria, Prithvipur (Niwari) and Datia, while Girvar in Shajapur district went through a severe cold day.

 

 

Day temperatures dropped sharply in Rewa and Shahdol divisions, falling by nearly 5 to 6 degrees Celsius, and also declined in parts of Narmadapuram and Jabalpur divisions. In many areas, maximum temperatures stayed well below normal, adding to the wintry feel. Night temperatures also dipped in parts of the State, especially in Ujjain, Chambal and Shahdol divisions.

 

Rajgarh turned out to be the coldest place in the state, recording a minimum temperature of 5.0°C, closely followed by Datia at 5.1°C. On the other end, Narmadapuram had the mildest night at 13.8°C. During the day, Girvar (Shajapur) was the coldest with a maximum of 15.6°C, while Khandwa was the warmest at 27.5°C. No rainfall was recorded anywhere in Madhya Pradesh. Weather experts said that the fog and cold conditions are linked to an active western disturbance and strong upper-level winds over northwest India.

 

These systems are allowing cold air to flow into the region and creating ideal conditions for fog formation during calm nights. Winds near the surface remained light, generally between 6 and 8 kmph. Minimum temperatures are likely to fall further by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Bhopal wakes up to foggy, chilly morning: Bhopal residents began their Sunday with dense fog and a noticeable chill in the air. Visibility was poor in several areas during the early morning hours, and humidity levels were very high at 98 per cent.

 

The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.8°C, slightly below normal, while the maximum temperature over the last 24 hours was 20.2°C, around four degrees lower than usual. For the next day, skies over Bhopal are expected to remain mostly clear, but fog is likely to return during late night and early morning hours. Light winds of 6 to 8 kmph are forecast, with temperatures ranging between 10°C and 18°C. With fog continuing to be the main concern, people have been advised to stay cautious while travelling early in the day and to take proper measures to keep warm.

 

Since at Raja Bhoj Airport, the CAT-II Aerodrome Ground Lighting (AGL), is already commissioned and fully operational so on weekends too flights operations especially during morning hours remained unaffected. New sytem enabled seamless aircraft operations during low visibility & adverse weather. There was no cancellation or diversion of flight.

 

The flights included an early morning departure from Pune at 3:00 AM, followed by a 7:20 AM flight to Ahmedabad. Delhi had three departures scheduled at 7:45 AM, 7:55 AM, and 12:05 PM. Bengaluru saw flights leaving at 8:50 AM and 11:25 AM, while the flight to Mumbai departed at 11:05 AM on Sunday.