Over the past few days, the city has been shrouded in dense fog, especially during the mornings. On Friday morning, a layer of fog covered the national capital and its surrounding areas, with moderate to dense fog observed in isolated pockets of Delhi.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that visibility is expected to improve as the day progresses, with the minimum temperature recorded at 10.7 degrees Celsius—four notches above the season's average.
The IMD forecasts that dense to very dense fog conditions will persist during the night and morning hours in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh until Saturday morning, and in some areas for the subsequent three days.
The IMD classifies fog intensity into four categories: shallow, moderate, dense, and very dense fog, with visibility ranging from 999m to 500m, 499m to 200m, 199m to 50m, and less than 50m, respectively. The Palam station in Delhi recorded 150m visibility, while Safdarjung recorded 200m visibility.
As the day progresses, the fog is expected to gradually dissipate, leading to clearer conditions by the afternoon. However, the dense fog is impacting flight and train schedules, causing delays and potential cancellations.
Over 60 international and domestic flights experienced delays due to low visibility. In addition, several trains arriving in the Delhi region are facing delays, causing frustration among commuters.
The air quality in Delhi remains in the 'severe' category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at the Anand Vihar area breaching the 'severe' threshold. PM2.5 levels in Anand Vihar reached 473, PM10 reached 447, and CO levels were recorded at 107, classified as 'moderate' by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport T3, PM2.5 levels were at 425, PM10 at 405 (both in the 'severe' category), and CO levels at 104 (classified as 'moderate'). The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500, with levels between 401 and 500 considered 'severe'.
(With Agency Inputs)
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