Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula on Tuesday slipped back into a familiar winter gloom as clouds, fog, mist, haze and cold wave conditions returned barely a day after the tricity enjoyed its first bright sunny day of the New Year.

The brief respite on Monday proved short-lived, with subdued sunshine and thick haze dragging temperatures down sharply and restoring severe winter conditions across the region.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the day temperature in Chandigarh plunged by a steep 5.3 degrees over the past 24 hours to settle at 13.4°C, which is 2.8 degrees below normal. Night temperatures, however, continued to remain on the higher side, with the minimum recorded at 7.7°C, slightly above normal, reflecting persistent cloud cover and high moisture levels. Weather during the past 24 hours remained dry, but dense to very dense fog was observed at a few places in Punjab, while dense fog was reported at isolated places in Haryana. Cold day conditions were also observed at isolated locations.

At the Chandigarh weather observatory, relative humidity remained very high, ranging between 95% and 76%, creating ideal conditions for fog formation. Mist, haze and shallow fog dominated large parts of the day and night, severely affecting visibility during late-night and early-morning hours. Calm to light northwesterly winds further aided the persistence of fog.

Across the region, Faridkot in Punjab recorded the highest maximum temperature at 19.2°C, while Nawanshahr remained among the coldest spots with a maximum of just 11.2°C. The lowest minimum temperature in Punjab was 4.2°C at Bathinda, while Narnaul in Haryana shivered at 4.5°C, the lowest in the state. In Haryana, Uchani near Karnal recorded the highest maximum at 16.2°C.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for Wednesday, warning of dense to very dense fog at a few places and cold wave conditions at isolated places over the tricity. This will be followed by a yellow alert for dense to very dense fog at isolated places for another five days from Thursday to next Monday. Weather is expected to remain dry, with minimum temperatures likely to fall by another 2 to 3 degrees during the next three days, followed by no major change thereafter.

The five-day forecast for Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula indicates mostly cloudy skies with dense fog, with maximum temperatures ranging between 13°C and 16°C and minimum temperatures dipping to around 5-6°C.

In the nearby hills, winter conditions remain harsher. IMD bulletins indicate cold weather continuing in Shimla and adjoining higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, with chilly nights, low clouds and freezing temperatures in upper elevations, reinforcing cold northerly flows into the plains.

Meteorologists caution that the return of fog and cold after a brief sunny break underlines the volatile nature of winter weather this season and advise residents to remain alert during early-morning and late-night travel as dense fog episodes intensify over the coming days.