Dense Fog Disrupts Life In North India, Over 200 Flights Delayed In Delhi

Dense fog covered various regions of North India on Friday, significantly reducing visibility and temperatures, and disrupting both train and flight services. At Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, 202 flights were delayed as visibility dropped to zero.

According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the past 24 hours, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 16°C, three degrees below the normal, and a minimum of 7.6°C.

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Fog is expected to persist in Delhi until January 8, with light rain forecast for January 6. As of Friday morning, the temperature in Delhi was 9.6°C, marking the fifth consecutive cold day in the capital.

At 8 am, Palam Airport in Delhi recorded zero visibility, while Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi reported 50 metres of visibility. Both airports are not used for commercial flights.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the Air Quality Index at Lodhi Road was 309, categorised as "Very Poor."

Several airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India, reported delays due to the poor weather, with the Delhi airport reporting an average arrival delay of six minutes and a 47-minute delay for departures, according to FlightRadar24.

SpiceJet announced that flights to and from Amritsar and Guwahati were affected by the weather, while IndiGo issued a travel advisory, particularly for flights on routes to and from Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Guwahati.

Airlines advised passengers to check flight schedules before travelling and cautioned that flights might be cancelled if visibility did not improve.

Train services departing and arriving in Delhi were also delayed, with some routes operating at altered times. At least 24 trains were delayed due to weather conditions. Among the affected trains, the Ayodhya Express was delayed by four hours, the Gorakhdham Express was over two hours late, and both the Bihar Kranti Express and the Shram Shakti Express faced delays of over three hours.

Dense fog is predicted to persist over Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Amritsar, and Guwahati on Friday. The IMD issued a Nowcast warning for dense to very dense fog in Delhi, Rajasthan (including Kota, Bundi, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Sri Ganganagar, and Tonk), Punjab (including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Kapurthala), and Haryana (including Kurukshetra, Ambala, Panchkula, and Yamunanagar). Meanwhile, light rain and snow are expected in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

A "cold day" is defined when the minimum temperature is below 10°C and the maximum or minimum temperature is at least 4.5°C lower than what is considered normal for the period.

In response to the cold wave, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration ordered the suspension of classes in all district schools until 8 am until further notice. The IMD has predicted a low of 8°C on Friday.