Written by Maulshree SethLucknow | January 16, 2026 04:25 PM IST 2 min readThe India Meteorological Department’s MeT centre in Lucknow Friday also issued an ‘orange alert’ for ‘very dense fog’ for over 50 districts for the next three days.Despite forecasts that the temperature in Uttar Pradesh would start to improve and the fog would reduce, the opposite appears to have happened.The state’s average temperature dropped to 5.5°C on Thursday, with districts like Hardoi recording a minimum of 3°C, while Lucknow experienced its coldest night this winter at 5.5°C on the night between Wednesday and Thursday.The India Meteorological Department’s MeT centre in Lucknow Friday also issued an ‘orange alert’ for ‘very dense fog’ for over 50 districts for the next three days. A ‘cold day’ warning has also been issued for 38 districts.Also Read | UP shivers amid severe cold wave: More fog, rain on forecast this weekOrange alert has been issued for districts including:-Varanasi, Sant Ravi Das Nagar, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj regions in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.-Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Amethi, Sultanpur, and Ambedkar Nagar districts in Central Uttar Pradesh.-Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Kasganj, Etah, Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya and surrounding areas in Western Uttar Pradesh.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Uttar Pradesh weather update: Day temperatures rise 3-6°C, cold returns todayAs per the MeT department, the fog is likely to intensify in both area and density over the next two days and is expected to persist until the morning of January 19.‘Cold Day’ warning has been issued for:-Western UP districts of Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Badaun, Sambhal.-Parts of the Terai belt including Shravasti, Baraich, Lakhimpur Kheri as well as Sitapur.By January 19, experts said, cold day conditions and extreme fog is expected to shift towards eastern UP districts of Varanasi, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Gonda, Shravasti, Balrampur, Sidharthanagar, Maharajganj, Basti and Kushinagar Deoria.Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development. Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity. Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd