The India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded an orange alert for dense fog in the national capital on Tuesday morning, severely disrupting daily life and transportation. The alert was in effect until 11:20 am, with visibility plummeting sharply during the early hours.
Visibility Plummets, Airport Operations Disrupted
Under the thick blanket of fog, key weather stations reported critically low visibility. At 8:30 am, the Palam observatory recorded visibility of just 100 metres amidst dense fog conditions, with winds blowing from the west-southwest at 5 kmph. The Safdarjung station noted slightly better but still poor visibility of 150 metres with calm winds.
Responding to the challenging conditions, Delhi airport issued a passenger advisory around 10 am. Flight operations were being conducted under CAT II conditions due to the dense fog, which authorities warned could result in significant delays and cancellations. Travelers were strongly advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight status updates before heading to the terminal.
Air Quality Worsens to 'Severe' and 'Severe Plus' Levels
Compounding the woes caused by low visibility, the city's air quality deteriorated alarmingly, entering the 'severe' zone. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that at 9 am, Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 415, a marked worsening from the 'very poor' category observed a day earlier.
The CPCB's SAMEER app painted a grim picture across the city's monitoring network. Out of 40 stations, a staggering 27 recorded AQI readings above 400. Even more concerning, five stations slipped into the 'severe plus' category, where the AQI exceeds 450. The worst-affected areas included:
- Anand Vihar with an AQI of 470
- Nehru Nagar at 463
- Okhla and Mundka both at 459
- Siri Fort at 450
This hazardous pollution level exposed millions of residents to serious health risks.
Weather Outlook and Temperature
On the weather front, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius, which is 1.3 degrees above the normal for this time of year. The maximum temperature for the day was expected to settle around 23 degrees Celsius. The IMD forecast indicated that the dense fog conditions were likely to persist through the day, prolonging the disruptions and poor air quality.
The combination of dense fog and severe air pollution created a double challenge for the city, affecting visibility, transportation, and public health simultaneously. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as winter conditions intensify.
