Delhi witnessed dense fog on Saturday morning, impacting visibility and disrupting flight and train operations, as the capital continued to reel under cold weather conditions.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature is expected to settle at 7 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is likely to hover around 19 degrees Celsius. At 7:30 am, the temperature was recorded at 11 degrees Celsius.
The IMD had earlier forecast “very dense fog” for the city, with these conditions likely to persist for three days. Rain or thunderstorms are expected on 22 and 23 January, potentially bringing some respite from the cold and smog.
Several trains heading to the national capital and flights at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were delayed due to the fog.
The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi showed marginal improvement on Friday following intermittent rainfall.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) subsequently revoked restrictions under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
As of 8 am on Saturday, the AQI stood at 248, classified under the "poor" category, according to the Sameer app.
Meanwhile, a cold wave continued to grip North India, with dense fog reported in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. Visuals from Gwalior showed near-zero visibility on the roads.
Himachal Pradesh experienced light to moderate snowfall in its higher reaches, with temperatures ranging between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius.
Cold wave conditions are likely to persist in isolated pockets of the state until 19 January, the IMD warned.
Additionally, dense to very dense fog is forecast in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on 18 January, while similar conditions are expected to continue in East Rajasthan.
The IMD also predicted a gradual rise in minimum temperatures across Northwest India by 2-3 degrees Celsius after 48 hours.
Follow us
