Fog envelops Delhi, rise in temperature

New Delhi, Dec 20 (UNI) Fog enveloped the capital today reducing visibility levels during the morning hours even as the chill in the air persisted despite a rise in temperature.

The fog led to a drop in visibility levels to nearly 400 m at about 0730 hours, the weatherman said.

However, no flight delays were reported from the International airport. A spokesperson of the Airport Authority of India said the flight operations at the airport were normal at both the runways.

The fog led to traffic jams in many areas. Meanwhile, cold Easterly winds maintained the chill in the Delhi air even though the minimum temperature rose to 7.8 degree Celsius, from a low of 6.5 degree C yesterday.

Though the weatherman has forecast a rise in minimum temperature to 9 degree tomorrow, the chill in the air could intensify by the end of the week.

The weatherman said another spell of rainfall in plains of Northwest India and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh during the next 24 hours under the influence of a fresh Western disturbance.

The weatherman forecast a partly cloudy sky with night in the morning.

''Snowfall activity is likely at a few places over Jammu&Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and isolated rain/thundershowers over Punjab during the next 24 hours,'' the weatherman said.

So, while there may be a slight rise in night temperature tomorrow, the mercury in NorthWest Indian plains could fall further from Friday onwards.

''Night temperatures over plains of Northwest India and Gangetic plains are likely to fall from December 22 onwards,'' the weatherman said.

UNI AR PA ND1332