Home / Weather / Delhi Chilled: Fog Grips Capital, Flights Delayed
Delhi Chilled: Fog Grips Capital, Flights Delayed
17 Jan
Summary
- Minimum temperature in Delhi dropped to 4.4°C amid moderate fog.
- Over 170 flights were delayed at Delhi airport due to poor visibility.
- Air quality in Delhi remains 'very poor' and is expected to worsen.
Delhi woke up to a chilly Saturday morning with a minimum temperature of 4.4°C, accompanied by moderate fog that reduced visibility across the national capital. The India Meteorological Department had issued a yellow alert, anticipating potential dense fog conditions, particularly in the early hours. Visibility dropped significantly, with Palam recording 350 meters and Safdarjung 200 meters, impacting daily life and travel.
The severe fog conditions directly led to widespread travel chaos, causing delays for over 170 flights at Delhi airport by Saturday morning. This disruption highlighted the challenges posed by extreme weather events on transportation infrastructure. Meanwhile, the weather is expected to moderate, with minimum temperatures predicted to rise to 7-9°C by Sunday and 8-10°C by Monday, influenced by warm easterly winds.
Adding to the concerns, Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category, with an AQI of 376 recorded on Saturday. Forecasts indicate a further decline, with the air quality likely to enter the 'Severe' category over the weekend before potentially stabilizing in the 'very poor' range early next week. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
