Thick fog engulfs Delhi, over 200 flights delayed, temperature to dip further
A thick fog disrupted flight services across North India, delaying dozens of flights and at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
by Ajmal Abbas · India TodayIn Short
- Orange warning for dense fog issued in Delhi
- Zero runway visibility in Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Agra airports
- Cold wave conditions to intensify in North India
A thick layer of fog blanketed Delhi and neighbouring areas as North India continued to reel under a cold wave. Visibility was significantly reduced at airports across the region, disrupting flight services.
At New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), 200 flights were delayed, and four services were cancelled. In the latest advisory, the airport authorities stated that while landings and takeoffs continue, flights that are not equipped for low-visibility landings (CAT III A compliant) may be affected due to the prevailing weather conditions.
Along with IGI Airport, the airports in Amritsar, Jammu, and Agra also recorded zero visibility, affecting services.
Meanwhile, the weather department’s 7-day forecast indicates that from Wednesday, the minimum temperature will start dipping, and by Friday, it is expected to drop to 5 degrees Celsius.
Anticipating dense to very dense fog conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for Delhi on Wednesday and a yellow alert for Thursday and Friday.
In the past 24 hours, the maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 16.2 degrees Celsius, which is 2.8 degrees below normal, and the minimum temperature was 7.4 degrees, which was 5 degrees above normal. It marked a 3.1-notch fall from Tuesday's temperature.
On Tuesday, over 300 flights were delayed, and around 25 train services were disrupted due to blinding fog.
States including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, among others in the North Indian region, continued to be gripped by an extreme cold wave. In Rajasthan's Nagaur, the minimum temperature was recorded at 2.5 degrees Celsius.