As winter tightens its grip, Delhi experienced the season’s lowest temperature at 3.6 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The frigid conditions are accompanied by dense fog across North India, disrupting flight operations and causing delays at the Delhi airport due to low visibility.
The IMD reported dense to very dense fog in isolated pockets of Punjab and East Uttar Pradesh at 5:30 am, creating challenging travel conditions. Flight delays were reported at the Delhi airport, impacting operations as the fog reduced visibility. The weather department noted moderate fog in isolated pockets over Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh.
Visibility in key locations dropped significantly, with Amritsar in Punjab, Lucknow, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh recording as low as 25 meters. The IMD data at 5:30 am highlighted specific areas experiencing low visibility, including Hissar (Haryana), Palam, and Safdarjung (Delhi), along with several locations in Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Zero visibility was reported in Agra and Gwalior at 8:30 am on Saturday, further emphasizing the severity of the foggy conditions. The IMD had earlier predicted dense to very dense fog over North India in the coming days, with cold wave conditions expected in the plains of Northwest India. The forecast also anticipates a cold day to severe cold day wave during the next three days, followed by a reduction thereafter. North India is likely to experience cold wave to severe cold wave conditions over the next two days.
Friday saw Palam Airport in Delhi reporting zero visibility amid very dense fog, indicating the persistence of adverse weather conditions. As temperatures continue to plummet, residents and travellers in North India are advised to exercise caution and brace for challenging weather conditions in the days ahead.