Weather update: IMD issues red alert for dense fog in Delhi; several trains, flights delayed

A red alert has been issued for dense fog in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana today while an orange alert has been issued in these states for tomorrow

IMD Reports Said : A thick layer of fog engulfed the national capital yet again on Friday morning, impacting flights and train operations. As per the latest update by the Northern Railways, several trains, including Rajdhani Express on the Delhi-Howrah route, are running between 10 and 12 hours late.

Many flights have also been delayed due to fog which has resulted in low visibility in Delhi and surrounding areas.

A red alert has been issued for dense fog in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana today while an orange alert has been issued in these states for tomorrow.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to continue in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and some parts of Uttar Pradesh till the morning of December 30 and in some parts for subsequent three to four days.

It further said that cold wave conditions are very likely in some parts over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh and in isolated pockets over East Uttar Pradesh on December 29.

On Thursday, the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 8.4 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season’s average, while dense fog affected visibility in several parts of the city, according to IMD.

Reduced visibility also hit railway services, with 22 Delhi-bound trains delayed. Meanwhile, flight operations continued to be impacted by dense fog at the Delhi airport for the third day on Thursday, with nearly 60 flights getting diverted and scores getting delayed during this period.

A total of 58 flights, the majority of them operated by domestic carriers, were diverted due to bad weather between 0000 hours of December 25 to 0600 hours of December 28, PTI quoted airport sources as saying.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data stated that Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI on Thursday settled at 358.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.