A heavy winter season is being experienced in Uttarakhand, with seven of its districts being covered with thick fogs and extreme frost and freezing temperatures being experienced in the higher Himalayan areas. On weather forecasts, plain areas like Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar are still under a warning of the fogs and in the mountains like Badrinath, extreme cold of up to about -16 degrees Celsius has been recorded.
The heavy mist has massively impaired visibility in some sections of the state, particularly in the early morning and late evening hours. Other districts that have been affected, other than Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, include Dehradun, Nainital, Champawat, Pauri and some parts of Almora. Low visibility has impaired road traffic, and drivers have been advised to drive at a slow pace and use fog lights. The government has encouraged commuters to avoid unnecessary travel during times of high fog to avoid accidents.
In elevated areas of Uttarakhand, the situation is much worse. Badrinath and the Himalayan areas around the place are undergoing extreme cold conditions and causing widespread frost. Water sources are freezing, and smooth roads with ice have made travelling hard in isolated mountain towns. Daily life has also been impacted by the biting cold as people are forced to spend more time at home, and indoor heating facilities have been in demand.
Meteorological scientists blame weather to a severe cold wave that has been experienced in the northern part of India. Light winds and clear skies at night have led to drastic rises and falls in temperature, and this has promoted fog in the plains and frosts in the mountains. This is likely to continue over the following few days with only a slight relief during the daytime.
Cold spells have been a source of health and agricultural concern. Physicians have recommended that the aged, children, and people with respiratory diseases should exercise extra caution. Producers in the hilly regions are concerned about the frost damage to their crops, whereas livestock owners are making preparations to ensure that their animals are not exposed to severe cold temperatures.
This has also affected tourism and pilgrimage activities. Whilst people may already be experiencing decreased footfalls in high altitude shrines such as Badrinath during winter, the government officials have been warning tourists to ensure that they check the weather pattern prior to travelling to mountainous states.
The administration is on the alert as fog and frost are experienced in various parts of the state at the same time. The residents have been urged to keep up with the updates on the weather and observe safety measures until the weather conditions are better.
