Dense Fog Alert Blankets Northeast; IMD Warns of Low Visibility Across Six States

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast predominantly dry weather conditions across most parts of Northeast India over the next five days, accompanied by widespread fog and a noticeable dip in maximum temperatures, according to the latest weather bulletin issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Guwahati, on January 5, 2026.

As per the IMD’s forecast for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, dry weather is likely to prevail across the region, except in Arunachal Pradesh where light rain is very likely to occur at isolated places. The higher reaches of Arunachal Pradesh are expected to witness light to moderate snowfall during the forecast period. While minimum temperatures across the region are not expected to show any large change, a gradual rising tendency has been observed. In contrast, maximum temperatures are very likely to fall by two to three degrees Celsius over most parts of the Northeast.

The IMD has warned that shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur at isolated pockets across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Dense fog is also very likely to occur at isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, raising concerns over reduced visibility, particularly during early morning hours. The weather outlook for the subsequent two days indicates little change in prevailing conditions.

Weather observations recorded at 0830 hrs IST on January 5 revealed that light rain occurred at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh and Assam during the previous 24 hours, while dry weather prevailed over Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Night temperatures rose appreciably over Meghalaya and showed no significant change over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. However, temperatures were appreciably below normal over Mizoram, while they remained within normal limits over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura. The chief amount of rainfall across the region during this period was reported as nil.

Synoptic analysis indicates that mainly easterly to north-easterly winds are prevailing over the region in the lower tropospheric levels. Meanwhile, the upper-air cyclonic circulation over east Bangladesh and adjoining areas at around 1.5 km above mean sea level has weakened and become less marked.

Station-wise observations show varying temperature patterns across the Northeast. In Assam and Meghalaya, maximum temperatures recorded included 20.2°C at Guwahati, 25.4°C at Dibrugarh, 19.0°C at Tezpur, 19.4°C at Silchar, 17.3°C at Dhubri, 19.3°C at Jorhat and 25.5°C at North Lakhimpur. Shillong recorded a maximum temperature of 14.9°C, while Sohra reported 18.9°C. Minimum temperatures ranged from 14.7°C in Guwahati and 14.0°C in Tezpur to 5.7°C in Shillong and 6.8°C in Sohra. Several stations reported negative departures from normal in maximum temperatures, indicating a cooling trend across the plains.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Passighat recorded a maximum temperature of 24.3°C and a minimum of 13.2°C, while Itanagar reported a maximum temperature of 18.8°C and a minimum of 10.2°C. In Nagaland, Kohima recorded a maximum temperature of 14.2°C and a minimum of 5.2°C, while Dimapur reported a maximum of 24.2°C. In Mizoram, Aizawl and Lengpui recorded maximum temperatures of 19.2°C and 18.7°C respectively, with minimum temperatures dipping to 7.3°C and 6.5°C. Manipur’s Imphal recorded a maximum temperature of 22.5°C and a minimum of 6.1°C, while Tripura’s Agartala recorded a notably low maximum temperature of 16.8°C with a minimum of 13.6°C.

For Guwahati and its neighbourhood, the IMD has forecast fog or mist during morning hours followed by mainly clear skies later in the day. Over the next seven days, maximum temperatures in the city are expected to range between 22°C and 23°C, while minimum temperatures are likely to remain between 12°C and 14°C. On some days, partly cloudy conditions may prevail during the later hours. Similar foggy morning conditions are likely to affect the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, potentially impacting flight operations.

The IMD has advised the public to remain cautious due to dense fog conditions and reduced visibility during early morning hours. Citizens have been urged to regularly follow official weather updates through the IMD website and mobile applications such as ‘Mausam’ for location-specific forecasts, ‘Meghdoot’ for agrometeorological advisories and ‘Damini’ for lightning warnings.

Also Read: Guwahati to Witness Prolonged Foggy Spell, Temperatures to Dip Further: IMD