Delhi-NCR Engulfed By Dense Fog, Travel And Air Quality Disrupted Amid Warmer January

Thick blankets of fog engulfed Delhi and the National Capital Region on Saturday morning, resulting in near-zero visibility on the roads. Flight and train operations in the capital are also expected to be affected by the weather.

The capital recorded a temperature of 11.2 degrees Celsius at 7 am, with the air quality index, according to the Sameer app, at 353.

Visuals from Barapullah Flyover, India Gate, and the Delhi-Jaipur highway displayed the low visibility caused by the foggy conditions.

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an advisory for passengers. In a post on X, it said, "While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted."

Warmer January in Delhi

According to the India Meteorological Department, Saturday's minimum temperature is expected to settle at 10 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is predicted to reach around 26 degrees Celsius. Dense fog in the capital is also forecast.

Notably, Delhi experienced a relatively warm January, with Friday's maximum temperature hitting 27 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest day in the month since 2019.

January's average high temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, above the long-term average of 20.1 degrees Celsius. According to IMD data, the nighttime temperatures were also higher than usual.

Mahesh Palawat, a weather expert cited by news agency PTI, attributed the warmer-than-usual January to the absence of strong western disturbances.

"If we had one or two strong systems, we would have seen colder conditions due to icy winds and cloudiness. Instead, temperatures rose quickly," he added.

The AQI forecast for the Capital indicates that the air quality will remain in the "very poor" category until February 3, with slight improvements expected thereafter.

"From February 1 to 3, Delhi's air quality is likely to remain 'very poor.' It may be 'poor' in the subsequent days," stated the Centre's Early Warning System for Delhi.