A thick veil of fog enveloped Delhi on Friday morning, reducing visibility to zero in several areas and severely affecting flight operations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius in the national capital, with cloudy skies predicted for the day.
The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport witnessed dense fog, with visibility dropping to 0 metres, forcing operations under CAT-III norms, a navigation system enabling aircraft to land during low visibility.
Over 100 flights were delayed, although no diversions were reported.
"Landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, but flights that are not CAT III compliant may face delays. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for updated schedules," Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) stated in a post on X at 6.35 am.
At 8 am, the Palam weather station reported zero visibility with calm winds, while Safdarjung recorded 50 metres of visibility. The IMD predicted very dense fog throughout the day, with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 17 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) remained in the “very poor” category, with a reading of 351 at 9 am. The humidity level was recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 am.
The AQI classifications are as follows: 0-50 is “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.
The dense fog and adverse weather caused significant travel disruptions. IGIA, which handles approximately 1,300 daily flight movements, witnessed delays, affecting passengers and airline operations alike.
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