Punjab and Haryana have been experiencing severe cold and dense fog, significantly reducing visibility across several cities. Areas such as Amritsar, Hisar, and Pathankot saw visibility drop to zero due to the dense fog, making travel hazardous. In some places, temperatures in the plains were recorded lower than Shimla, a popular hill station in Himachal Pradesh.

In Haryana, Narnaul was the coldest spot, with a minimum temperature of 4.4°C, colder than Shimla, which had a minimum of 10.4°C. Other locations like Hisar (5.5°C), Gurgaon (6°C), and Karnal (7.6°C) also experienced temperatures lower than Shimla. Meanwhile, Punjab cities like Sangrur (5.1°C) and Bathinda (5.2°C) were also hit by the extreme cold, while Amritsar recorded a minimum temperature of 7.3°C.

The heavy fog caused visibility to dip below 50 meters in parts of Punjab and Haryana, with the worst visibility in Bilaspur (100 meters) in Himachal Pradesh. The cold wave also affected Chandigarh, with a minimum temperature of 7.8°C.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the region may experience light to moderate rainfall over the next few days. There is a chance of isolated thunderstorms over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on January 5 and 6. A slight rise in minimum temperatures (2-4°C) is expected over the next three days, though temperatures may drop by 2-3°C afterward.

This severe cold, compounded by dense fog and zero visibility, has made travel and daily life challenging across the plains of Punjab and Haryana. The situation remains critical as authorities urge residents to take precautions in this harsh weather.