North India has been experiencing dense fog, severely affecting visibility and transportation. At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, 50 flights were delayed as a result of zero visibility.
The dense fog caused delays in both arrivals and departures, with the average delay for departing flights being 47 minutes, and 6 minutes for incoming flights, according to FlightRadar24 data.
Several airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India, were impacted, especially on routes connecting Delhi to cities like Amritsar, Guwahati, and Lucknow.
Update issued at 06:35 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport)
SpiceJet reported that flights to and from Amritsar and Guwahati were directly affected by the bad weather conditions. IndiGo also issued a travel advisory, urging passengers to verify flight schedules before traveling and informing them that further delays or cancellations could occur due to the poor visibility.
Both Palam and Safdarjung airports reported significantly reduced visibility levels, with Palam airport at zero meters and Safdarjung airport at 50 meters, making them unsuitable for commercial operations during the morning hours.
The dense fog is expected to persist until January 8, with light rain predicted on January 6. As per the latest data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 16°C, which is three degrees below the normal temperature for this time of year.
The minimum temperature stood at 7.6°C, contributing to an ongoing cold spell, with Friday morning’s temperature at 9.6°C. This marks the fifth consecutive cold day in the national capital.
In addition to air travel, train services were also impacted by the thick fog. At least 24 trains departing from Delhi were delayed due to the adverse weather conditions.
The delays varied, with notable disruptions including the Ayodhya Express, which was delayed by four hours, the Gorakhdham Express, which was running over two hours late, and the Bihar Kranti Express and the Shram Shakti Express, both delayed by more than three hours.
The dense fog and cold temperatures have also worsened the air quality in Delhi. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) at the Lodhi Road station reached 309, categorizing it as ‘Very Poor’.
Residents are advised to take precautions against air pollution, which could worsen due to the lack of visibility and low temperatures.
Apart from Delhi, dense fog is expected to continue affecting other major cities such as Lucknow, Amritsar, Guwahati, and Bengaluru. The IMD has issued a Nowcast warning for dense to very dense fog in various regions, including parts of Rajasthan (Kota, Bundi, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Sri Ganganagar, and Tonk), Punjab (Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Kapurthala), and Haryana (Kurukshetra, Ambala, Panchkula, and Yamunanagar).
While dense fog is expected to remain in the affected regions through Friday, light rain and snow are anticipated in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. Travelers are urged to stay updated on weather forecasts and check their flight and train schedules in advance to avoid further disruptions during the ongoing foggy conditions.
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