New Year Begins with Severe Cold Across North India, Snowfall in the Hills and Rain in Mumbai
The first day of 2026 opened with intense winter conditions across large parts of northern India. Higher reaches of Kashmir were blanketed in fresh snow, while Delhi continued to shiver a day after recording its coldest December day in six years. The chill is expected to deepen further in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, and Haryana, with the weather department also forecasting rain and thunderstorms later in the day. In contrast, Mumbai welcomed the New Year with heavy rainfall, as several areas of the financial capital experienced downpours on Thursday.
Cold conditions are likely to persist in Delhi and surrounding regions. Strong easterly winds at ground level triggered thunderstorms over northwestern Rajasthan, and this weather system is expected to move toward Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab by the afternoon. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of a sharp drop in temperatures in the capital, which remains covered in dense fog, while air quality continues to stay in the “very poor” category.
Delhi ended 2025 on a notably cold note, recording its lowest December maximum temperature in six years at 14.2 degrees Celsius. The last time such low daytime temperatures were observed was on December 31, 2019, when the maximum dipped to 9.4 degrees Celsius. According to the IMD, minimum temperatures are expected to fall further from January 3 onwards due to cold northerly winds flowing in from the Himalayan region.
In neighboring Himachal Pradesh, which saw a large influx of tourists celebrating the New Year, light snowfall was reported in the higher areas of Kullu district, including the Rohtang Pass, as well as parts of Lahaul and Spiti. However, popular tourist destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kasauli, and Dalhousie did not witness snowfall, despite the heavy tourist presence. The IMD has forecast light snowfall and rainfall in the state over the next two days, raising hopes among visitors.
Kashmir, meanwhile, turned white as fresh snowfall covered well-known locations like Gurez, Gulmarg, and Sonamarg during the ongoing “Chillai-Kalan” period—a 40-day phase associated with extreme cold and freezing conditions. Despite the snowfall, temperatures remained higher than the seasonal average, indicating a relatively warmer winter this year, according to meteorological officials. Gulmarg recorded the lowest temperature at minus 3 degrees Celsius, while Srinagar and Pahalgam reported minimums of 2.3 degrees and minus 2 degrees Celsius respectively.
Unusually cold weather was also observed in Kolkata, where minimum temperatures dropped below 10 degrees Celsius. The weather department has indicated that the cold spell is likely to continue into next week. Darjeeling recorded the lowest temperature in the region at 3.4 degrees Celsius, and light rain or snowfall is expected in the higher elevations in the coming days. Additionally, sub-Himalayan districts such as Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar are likely to receive light rainfall over the next three days.