New Delhi:
Dense fog engulfed parts of the national capital on Wednesday, marking the season’s first intense fog spell lasting three hours, which disrupted the schedules of over 100 flights and 26 trains due to low visibility.
The fog significantly reduced visibility during the morning hours, improved slightly in between and then once again shrouded the city as evening approached.
“Delhi experienced very dense fog on the morning of January 15, with visibility dropping to zero at Safdarjung and IGI Airport from 8:30 am, persisting until 11:30 am,” the IMD stated.
“This was the season’s first instance of dense fog, and CAT-III operations extended beyond 9:30 am, with RVR at IGI Airport runways ranging between 75-300 meters during the peak fog period,” it added.
By 12:30 pm, visibility had slightly improved to 250 meters at Safdarjung andd 400 meters at IGI Airport (Palam), with moderate fog prevailing at that time.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi, with dense to very dense fog reported in several areas.
An orange alert is issued for bad weather that can disrupt rail and road services.
The minimum temperature dropped to 6 degrees Celsius, 1.4 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 18.1 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degrees below normal.
The weather department advised caution, saying, “Drivers should use fog lights and exercise extreme care while on the road. Travellers should stay in touch with airlines, railways, and state transport authorities for updates on schedules.” The IMD had also predicted light rain or drizzle during the day.
The humidity level fluctuated between 97 per cent and 95 per cent.
For Thursday, the weather department has predicted cloudy skies with light rain and dense fog conditions. The minimum temperature is expected to settle around 10 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is likely to hover around 17 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the 24-hour air quality average in the city stood in the “very poor” category, with a reading of 386.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
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