A severe cold wave is gripping North India, bringing dense fog, heavy rains, and freezing temperatures, making life particularly difficult for residents, especially students and commuters. As the cold wave intensifies, schools across many parts of the region have been forced to extend winter holidays, while others have opted for online classes to ensure students stay safe from the extreme weather conditions. In the national capital, Delhi, temperatures dropped to 9.8 degrees Celsius at 5:30 AM today, accompanied by poor air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 252, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
This chilly weather, caused by the influx of frigid air from the Himalayas, has spread to several states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. These areas are experiencing significantly lower temperatures than usual, leading to a drop in normal temperature ranges. In Haryana, schools had initially planned winter vacations from January 1 to January 15, 2025. However, due to the cold wave, districts like Ambala and Kurukshetra have extended the school closures until January 16 and 17.
Similarly, in Delhi NCR, schools have been directed to continue offering hybrid classes for students in classes 9 and 11. In Ghaziabad, schools from grades 1 to 8 will remain shut until January 18, while in Noida, nursery to Class 8 schools are closed until further notice. In Lucknow, the district magistrate, Surya Pal Gangwar, has extended the winter holidays for schools up to Class 8 until January 16, with schools set to reopen on January 17. The cold wave has also led to disruptions in transportation. On Thursday, 29 trains and flights were delayed in Delhi NCR due to heavy fog and moderate rain, and visibility problems are expected to persist into Friday morning. With temperatures forecasted to range between 10 to 17 degrees Celsius, the weather conditions are likely to keep intensifying the chill across the region.
Authorities are continuously monitoring the weather and making adjustments to schedules to ensure safety for students and residents. Several states across North India are taking similar steps to extend school breaks as a precaution against the extreme cold. Meanwhile, in the southern states, schools have also extended holidays to coincide with ongoing harvest season festivities.
CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP Revokes Stage-IV in Entire NCR
The Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the NCR and Adjoining Areas has decided to revoke Stage-IV of the extant GRAP schedule across the entire National Capital Region (NCR) with immediate effect. The decision comes following favorable meteorological conditions and rainfall in the region since January 15, which has led to an improvement in Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI).
Additionally, if AQI breaches 400 on any given day, Stage-IV measures must be reintroduced. On January 15 Delhi’s AQI recorded 386, indicating a sharp rising trend, prompting the Sub-Committee to invoke both Stage-III and Stage-IV. However, due to the current meteorological factors and rainfall, the air quality in Delhi has significantly improved, with the AQI recorded at 302 on January 16—a level still within the ‘Very Poor’ category, but well below the threshold to trigger Stage-IV. After reviewing the situation today, the Sub-Committee has decided to revoke Stage-IV, with only actions under Stages III, II, and I remaining in effect.
Swimmi Srivastava**Swimmi Shrivastava** Swimmi Shrivastava is a seasoned journalist with extensive experience across diverse beats, including politics, elections, civic affairs, water resources, power sector, and more. Currently serving as a Senior Sub-Editor at *The Daily Guardian*, she is renowned for her insightful news reports, engaging blogs, and thought-provoking articles. An alumnus of Delhi University, Swimmi further honed her journalistic expertise by earning a diploma in Print Media Journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. With a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to impactful storytelling.