Maximum falls to lowest in Dec in three years, fog delays flights

New Delhi, Dec 14 (UNI) The chill sweeping the Capital continued to grip Delhiites today with the maximum plummeting to 19 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest December day in three years, even as thick fog in the morning plummeted visibility levels, disrupting air and rail traffic besides causing traffic jams in several areas.

Continuing its fall since yesterday, the maximum temperature fell to five degrees below normal at 19.0 degrees.

The minimum also dropped to 9 degrees C, from 9.7 degree C recorded yesterday.

The chilly conditions were intensified by the cold Northwesterly winds blowing through the air.

Dense fog in the morning led to a sharp fall in visibility levels in the city, leading to diversion of seven international flights and delay of over 25 flights, airport sources said.

Foggy conditions plummeted visibility at the airport to 125 Runway Visual Range (RVR) units at 0410 hrs forcins the airport authorities to put into operation Low Visibility Pprocedures, to enable landing of flights in low visibility conditions.

The LVP was put in force at 0240 hrs when the RVR was 1100 m.

Seven international flights were diverted to other destinations, five of them to Mumbai and one each to Lucknow and Jaipur.

Twenty-five flights were also delayed.

However, visibility levels improved to 1300 m RVR at 1105 hrs leading to the termination of the LVP.

The fog also led to delay of several trains besides causing traffic jams in many areas of the city.

The chill is likely to intensify in the coming days with weathermen forecasting a drop in the minimum temperature tomorrow to 7 Degrees.

They have also forecast foggy conditions in the morning.

UNI