Cold Wave Conditions Persist Across Northern India

Severe cold wave conditions accompanied by dense fog persisted across large parts of northern India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, during the early weeks of 2025. The prolonged spell of extreme cold disrupted daily life, affecting road, rail, and air transport, leading to school closures and posing serious public health concerns, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Cold waves are officially recognised by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as climate-related extreme weather events. Scientific studies indicate that increasing climate variability, driven by climate change, is intensifying the frequency and severity of temperature extremes, including both heat waves and cold waves. Factors such as western disturbances, calm winds, and temperature inversions contribute to the persistence of cold conditions in the Indo-Gangetic plains, often aggravated by dense fog and air pollution.

The socio-economic impact of cold waves is significant. Prolonged exposure increases the risk of hypothermia, respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular stress, especially among the elderly, children, homeless populations, and outdoor workers. Fog-related disruptions affect economic productivity and supply chains, while closures of schools and offices strain urban governance systems. Rural areas face additional challenges due to inadequate heating infrastructure and limited access to healthcare facilities.

The situation highlights gaps in preparedness and adaptive governance. While heat action plans have gained prominence in recent years, cold wave action plans remain underdeveloped across most states. Early-warning dissemination, inter-agency coordination, and local-level preparedness often remain reactive rather than preventive.

The way forward requires integrating cold wave management into disaster risk reduction frameworks. Strengthening IMD’s early-warning systems, expanding community-level shelters, ensuring winter-specific public health advisories, and improving urban design for climate resilience are essential. State disaster management authorities must mainstream cold waves into climate action plans, aligning with India’s National Disaster Management Plan.

In conclusion, recurring cold wave episodes underline the urgent need to treat climate extremes as governance challenges. Building anticipatory, inclusive, and climate-resilient systems is crucial to protecting lives and livelihoods in an era of increasing climate uncertainty.