Dense fog engulfs Delhi, visibility drops below 50 metres

New Delhi: Amid cold wave in the national capital, dense fog engulfed the city on Monday morning, reducing the visibility below 50 metres in several areas of the city. Moreover, the low visibility prompted a warning from Delhi IGI Airport about flight delays. Several videos shared on social media from the Akshardham and Dhaulakuan areas showed vehicles crawling at slow speeds, with drivers struggling to see beyond a short distance.

Air travel is also likely to be impacted due to the dense fog. Moreover, the flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were shifted to CAT III conditions, which allow aircraft to land in very low visibility but often lead to delays. The Delhi airport issued an advisory for the air passengers that both arrivals and departures could be affected and advised them to stay updated with their airlines.

Delhi airport issues advisory

“Flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III conditions due to dense fog, which may cause delays. Passengers are requested to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight information or visit our official website. Please be assured that our on-ground officials are available across all terminals to provide necessary Support," Delhi airport said in a tweet at 7 AM.

The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 6.7 degrees Celsius, which was 1.7 notches below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Station-wise data showed that the minimum temperature settled at Palam recorded 8.1 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road reported 7.1 degrees Celsius, the Ridge station registered 7.7 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar also recorded 6.6 degrees Celsius. The night temperature at Safdarjung, the city's base weather station, recorded 6.7 degrees Celsius.

The air quality was recorded in the " poor" category at 9 am on Saturday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 278, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

Air quality remained in 'very poor category'

The air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor category' on Sunday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 318 around 8 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the national capital, warning that isolated areas may experience thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.  Similar conditions are expected across neighbouring Haryana and Chandigarh. In Haryana, Karnal experienced a hailstorm early in the day.