Severe Cold and Fog Disrupts Delhi-NCR: Visibility Drops and Air Quality Deteriorates
Impact of Fog and Cold on Visibility
On Saturday morning, a dense fog combined with extreme cold and hazardous air quality enveloped Delhi-NCR, significantly reducing visibility. This situation led to flight delays and an increase in pollution levels across the region. The sudden drop in temperature, coupled with stagnant air conditions, has added to the discomfort of residents as the capital endures another harsh winter.
Visibility and Traffic Disruptions
Visibility was recorded between zero and 50 meters during the morning hours.
Flights and Trains: Dense fog at Palam and Safdarjung airports caused delays in numerous international and domestic flights. Rail services were also severely affected, with many trains running hours behind schedule.
Road Traffic: Vehicle speeds on the roads came to a standstill, forcing drivers to use headlights and fog lights even during daylight.
Air Quality in 'Severe' Category
The cold weather and stagnant winds have trapped pollution particles close to the ground.
Dangerous Mix: The combination of fog and smoke has resulted in persistent smog conditions.
AQI Levels: The air quality index (AQI) in most areas of Delhi exceeded 450, categorizing it as 'Severe.' Health experts have advised respiratory patients and the elderly to remain indoors.
Widespread Fog Across Northern India
A thick blanket of fog covered large parts of northern India, drastically reducing visibility in key states. Areas in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh experienced dense to very dense fog. In Uttar Pradesh, cities like Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur reported zero visibility, while Lucknow, Varanasi, and Prayagraj had visibility ranging from 50 to 100 meters by 6:30 AM.
Deteriorating Air Quality in Delhi
In the national capital, fog combined with toxic smog further degraded air quality, prompting authorities to reinstate Stage III restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-NCR.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall AQI in Delhi at 7 AM was 368, placing it in the 'Very Poor' category. Several monitoring stations across the city recorded AQI levels well above 400, categorizing them as 'Severe.'
Most Affected Areas
The areas most impacted included Anand Vihar with an AQI of 442, followed by Patparganj at 433, Chandni Chowk at 427, Nehru Nagar at 423, Vivek Vihar at 420, and Jahangirpuri at 416. Other locations like Dwarka, ITO, Sonia Vihar, and Wazirpur also remained in the 'Very Poor' category. The IGI Airport area recorded an AQI of 304.
Neighboring NCR cities also faced alarming pollution levels, with Gurugram at 345, Noida at 385, Ghaziabad at 380, and Faridabad at 253.
Flight Operations Affected
Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were disrupted due to low visibility caused by dense fog, leading to delays. Road and rail traffic also moved slowly in many parts of the region, as passengers navigated through near-whiteout conditions. The India Meteorological Department has predicted dry weather in Delhi for the next seven days, with skies ranging from clear to partially cloudy and no chance of rain.
Weather Forecast
Cold conditions are expected to persist during the night and morning, with visibility potentially reduced due to fog. Light to moderate fog is anticipated in the mornings, which should clear as temperatures rise.
Daytime temperatures are expected to range between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, with a gradual increase in temperature after January 16. However, the minimum temperature is likely to remain quite low during the first half of the week. From January 18, nighttime temperatures are expected to gradually rise to around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, providing some relief from the biting cold.