A severe cold wave and dense fog gripped northern and eastern India as the New Year began, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha, disrupting travel and daily life. Dense to very dense fog reduced visibility, affecting road, rail and air services, with numerous flight cancellations and delays reported. Widespread cold day conditions are forecast to continue, while several states extended school closures due to safety concerns amid plunging temperatures and heavy fog. Authorities have urged precautions as winter chills persist. (PC: HT)

Delhi recorded its coldest December day since 2020 as cold day conditions and dense fog covered the city on Wednesday. The maximum temperature fell to 14.2 degrees Celsius, over six degrees below normal, while the minimum settled at 6.4 degrees. Palam, Lodhi Road and Ridge stations also logged day highs near 13 degrees. Morning fog cut visibility to 50 metres at Safdarjung and Palam. The IMD said a cloudy sky with very light rain is likely on January 1 due to a system over Punjab and Haryana. Air quality stayed poor, with the AQI close to the severe range. (PC: India Today)

A strong earthquake struck off the coast near Japan’s Noda city on New Year’s Eve, the US Geological Survey said. The quake measured magnitude 6 and hit about 91 km east of Noda at a depth of 19.3 km. The epicentre was located at 40.112 degrees north and 142.889 degrees east. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The tremor came weeks after a magnitude 6.7 quake on December 12 near Iwate prefecture, when a tsunami advisory was issued. Earlier on Wednesday, a separate magnitude 3.4 quake was recorded in Tibet, Indian agencies said. (PC: HT)

Thick fog disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for a second day on Tuesday. Officials said that by about 9.30 am, 118 flights were cancelled, over 200 were delayed, and 18 were diverted. The India Meteorological Department reported visibility of 350 metres at the airport at that time. Train services in the capital were also affected. The Airports Authority of India issued an advisory for several north India airports, warning of delays due to low visibility. Airlines, including IndiGo, asked passengers to stay in touch for updates and to allow extra time at airports as fog continues. (PC: HT)

Dense winter fog and severely reduced visibility across Delhi and northern India have significantly disrupted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and other airports, forcing pilots to rely on advanced CAT III landing systems. Multiple flights were delayed, cancelled, or diverted, leaving many passengers stranded and prompting urgent advisories from IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India to check flight statuses before travelling. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for very dense fog, while airlines activated special measures including rebooking options and refund flexibility to help travellers cope with the weather-related chaos. (PC: HT)

The India Meteorological Department has placed Delhi under an orange alert for dense fog on December 29. Night and morning fog is likely across Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and west Uttar Pradesh till December 31. East Uttar Pradesh may see low visibility till January 1. IMD also warned of cold day and cold wave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana. Several cities, including Amritsar, Agra and Gwalior, reported near zero visibility. A fresh western disturbance is expected from December 30 and may bring rain or snow to the western Himalayas and nearby plains. (PC: HT)

A strong winter storm disrupted travel across New York City and the northeast United States during a busy holiday weekend. About four inches of snow fell in New York on Saturday. At least 1,500 flights were cancelled or delayed since Friday night, flight tracking data showed. JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports issued snow warnings and said more delays were possible. New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency. The storm also affected travel in Florida, San Francisco and Orlando. In California, heavy snowfall triggered avalanches. Two ski patrollers were injured at Mammoth Mountain, and a backcountry skier was rescued near Mount Rose. (PC: HT)

Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano on Sicily’s east coast, erupted on 27 December 2025, casting dramatic plumes of lava, ash and smoke into the winter sky against a backdrop of snow-capped slopes. Scientists issued a red Volcano Observatory notice warning aviation authorities of potential air travel risks, though Catania-Fontanarossa Airport remained open with no immediate disruptions reported. Volcanic ash has been carried by winds over nearby towns and ski resorts, creating striking contrasts between fiery eruptions and snowy terrain while drawing attention from residents and visitors alike. 

A strong winter storm covered New York City with its heaviest snow in nearly four years. National Weather Service said Central Park recorded 4.3 inches of snow. Some areas of the state saw over seven inches. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in many counties. Nearly 700 flights were cancelled in the region, data from FlightAware showed. Thousands more were delayed nationwide. Roads were slippery and temperatures stayed below freezing. Authorities activated a code blue to shelter homeless people. Meanwhile, California faced damage from severe storms and flooding. (PC: AFP via Getty Images)

A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck off the northeastern coast of Taiwan late Saturday night. The quake hit near Yilan county at a depth of about 73 km, according to the Central Weather Administration. Strong tremors were felt in Taipei, where buildings swayed. Authorities said the quake reached intensity four, which may cause minor damage. The fire department began checks for damage and injuries. No major destruction was reported. Over 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power. Taiwan is prone to earthquakes due to its location near tectonic plates. (PC: News18)