A thick veil of fog has descended upon the Ganges Delta, casting a winter shroud over the fertile lands of eastern India and Bangladesh. The image, captured by NASA's Terra satellite on January 6, 2026, reveals a T-shaped area of low-lying clouds, with dense fog blanketing the region like a heavy blanket.
This phenomenon is not unusual in the Indo-Gangetic Plain during the winter months, when cold temperatures and light winds create ideal conditions for radiation fog to form. However, the extent of this year's fog has been particularly severe, posing significant disruptions to daily life and air travel.
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, the dense fog was caused by a cold wave that swept across the region, bringing ground temperatures down to near-freezing levels. The Bay of Bengal, which borders the delta, also played a role in the formation of cloud streets - long, parallel bands of clouds that can form when cold air passes over warmer open water.
While these clouds may appear scenic from above, they pose significant hazards for people on the ground. In Dhaka's international airport, for example, dense fog caused major disruptions to flights, with many departures delayed or cancelled altogether. Similar disruptions were reported in parts of northern, central, and eastern India, where foggy conditions snarled daily life and travel.
The impact of this year's fog on the region is a reminder of the complex interactions between climate, weather patterns, and human activity. As temperatures continue to rise globally, it is likely that extreme weather events like this will become more frequent and intense - requiring us to adapt our understanding of the natural world and our place within it.
For now, the people of Bangladesh and India can only wait for the fog to lift and the sun to shine through, a welcome respite from the cold and darkness that has gripped their region.
This phenomenon is not unusual in the Indo-Gangetic Plain during the winter months, when cold temperatures and light winds create ideal conditions for radiation fog to form. However, the extent of this year's fog has been particularly severe, posing significant disruptions to daily life and air travel.
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, the dense fog was caused by a cold wave that swept across the region, bringing ground temperatures down to near-freezing levels. The Bay of Bengal, which borders the delta, also played a role in the formation of cloud streets - long, parallel bands of clouds that can form when cold air passes over warmer open water.
While these clouds may appear scenic from above, they pose significant hazards for people on the ground. In Dhaka's international airport, for example, dense fog caused major disruptions to flights, with many departures delayed or cancelled altogether. Similar disruptions were reported in parts of northern, central, and eastern India, where foggy conditions snarled daily life and travel.
The impact of this year's fog on the region is a reminder of the complex interactions between climate, weather patterns, and human activity. As temperatures continue to rise globally, it is likely that extreme weather events like this will become more frequent and intense - requiring us to adapt our understanding of the natural world and our place within it.
For now, the people of Bangladesh and India can only wait for the fog to lift and the sun to shine through, a welcome respite from the cold and darkness that has gripped their region.
. We know it's gonna happen every year, but does NASA really need to send up a satellite to take a pic of it? Can't we just enjoy the chill vibes without all the tech wizardry? I mean, sure, the fog caused some problems for air travel and daily life, but let's be real, it's not like it's a new thing. We've been dealing with this kind of weather in the Indo-Gangetic Plain for ages, so why's it such a big deal now? 
Just saying, I'm more worried about those climate changes and their impact on our planet than some fog rolling in every winter 
... another extreme weather event that's gonna mess with people's lives. I mean, who needs flight delays and cancellations? Not exactly what you need when you're trying to get on a plane. And it's not like the region didn't see this coming, climate change and all that jazz 
... still, it's just so inconvenient. And don't even get me started on how this is gonna affect agriculture in the area... not exactly a recipe for success 
.
man this winter in india is crazy even tho its not that cold lol but u know how the fog rolls in like no one asked for it 
anyway i feel bad 4 ppl whose daily life gets all messed up cuz of this stuff but at least nasa is keeping us posted on whats going on 
. Like, I know it's winter and all but geez, can't we just have some decent weather for once? 
. We should really start thinking about how climate change is affecting our world and stuff... maybe invest in some better weather forecasting systems or something? 
Wouldn't that be a great idea? 
- dense fog causing major disruptions, flight cancellations... it's like they're stuck in a bad movie 
. Anyways, I mean, climate change is real, we can't just ignore it 
. The thing is, it's not all doom & gloom - scientists are studying this, trying to figure out how to mitigate the effects... so let's hope they come up with some good solutions soon 
. And it's not even safe, with the fog and all... poor ppl in Bangladesh/India 
. It's like, we gotta be prepared for more extreme weather events & stuff... 
! I mean, who needs special effects when you've got Mother Nature doing her thing? 
But seriously, it's crazy how the fog can just drop on us without warning. It's like the whole world is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty... not to mention, it's super scary for ppl flyin' around 
. I feel bad for those flights gettin' cancelled, though - I know how frustrating that can be 
. And yaaas, climate change is real, folks! It's like, we shoulda seen this comin' a mile away... now let's just hope it doesn't get worse 
I just saw this thread about the Ganges Delta fog and I'm like "yeah I've been living under a rock lol" 
How did we not know about this happening? It's crazy how climate change is affecting our weather patterns, it's like we're seeing the effects of it in real-time now 
.
like, i get why fog happens in winter, but this looks so intense 
... guess we'll just have to get used to more frequent extreme weather events 
... anyone else having to deal with this? 
anyone else getting tired of these crazy weather patterns? 
not to mention the impact on air travel and daily life... people are really feeling it over there 
️. but yeah, from up high maybe, for us on the ground it's just plain scary 
. On the bright side, it's definitely making for some epic space pics 
.